I Still Taste Blood
by LordMaster6
Summary: AU Story, NCIS set in the Wild West... action, humour, banter, sheep. ON HIATUS until further notice. I'll probably get inspired again if NCIS goes downhill...
1. Chapter 1

**New Story Time! So a few weeks ago I said to LouC, hey, I had a thought... NCIS as a western. Gibbs as the Sheriff with Tony as his deputy. Everything went from there. I wrote a lot of this on the fly, there's probably historical inaccuracies, and don't ask which state its set in because I simply don't know one that'd work... **

**I had a lot of fun writing this, drawing a lot of inspiration from season 3, because I've been quite dissatisfied with season 8 so far, especially the fact that Ziva's never around. i hope you enjoy it too.**

**Credit to LouC, who was much more than a beta for this one, I think she's earned Producer credits.**

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><p>It was clichéd but the fact was that Sheriff Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't like the cemetery much. Bad memories plagued him whenever he found it in him to venture out this far east of the town. He avoided it mostly. The mourning he did, he did from the privacy of his own home, away from the irritating old gossips around town. It was none of their business, frankly.<p>

But then on occasion, he'd be obliged to attend someone's funeral. Someone who he couldn't bring himself to disrespect by failing to attend. So he'd wearily mount his horse and make his way out east.

Tom Morrow was such a man. He and Gibbs had served in the civil war together, before they returned back to their poky little town. Morrow took over his father's saloon, and Gibbs became a deputy, before eventually being pressed to take the top job.

Now Tom Morrow was dead. Like Gibbs, he had no family. Gibbs had a meeting with the lawyer kid in town to talk about what was to happen with Tom's estate. He imagined the saloon would be sold off and the proceeds would go to some distant third cousin who Tom himself had never met in his life. Gibbs didn't like to think that he was looking at a pretty similar fate.

At least Morrow's ceremony was well attended, more than half the town had shown up to bid farewell. Morrow was a good sort and his saloon was popular with everyone. He'd always been happy to listen to someone who needed to vent. He'd kept things clean, and made sure to call on Gibbs if he ever thought some real troublemakers had shown up in his front bar.

More than that, he'd been a friend to Gibbs during some hard times. Gibbs was running out of them faster than he cared to admit.

* * *

><p>'Hey, boss. Back already?'<p>

The lounging deputy hurriedly removed his feet from Gibbs' desk and stood. Gibbs watched the man subconsciously straighten his vest as he rose. He knew a lot of people around town had been surprised when he took on Tony DiNozzo, the formerly homeless gunhand, as his deputy. But despite all appearances, he had high hopes for the kid. Sure he was vain about his appearance, liked to drink and flirt with anything wearing a skirt and got on some people's nerves with the constant talking. But underneath it all, there was a smart man who could pick out a liar. He wasn't a bad shot either.

'Anything happen while I was out?' Gibbs asked, hanging his hat on the peg by the door.

'Murphy came in with some story about stolen sheep, but I'll bet you he's just gone and shot them during another drinking binge. Wouldn't be the first time.'

'We'll look into it tomorrow.' Gibbs replied.

'There's no crime there, boss.'

'Don't go assuming that until you've at least had a look around. Sure, Murphy's a drunk and a fool, but that don't mean there aren't real thieves out there,' Gibbs lectured.

Tony sighed, 'Fine.'

'Go home, DiNozzo, I'll close up today.'

Gibbs watched his deputy walk out into the evening. DiNozzo absently made towards the saloon before he stopped, remembering that the place had been closed down since Morrow's death. Instead he turned down another street, undoubtedly to seek to comfort of one of his many lady friends.

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><p>Tony was indeed going to see a lady friend. Although this particular lady he considered to be more like the little sister he never had. The thought of pursuing Abby in a romantic fashion just seemed utterly wrong to him.<p>

He knew Abby would be miserable after Morrow's funeral. She and the old guy were close. Along with Gibbs and Ducky the town's physician, the three men had taken responsibility for raising the girl after her parents' death fifteen years ago.

He figured a few games of poker would cheer her right up. They only ever played for match sticks after Abby managed to win his entire first pay check. Gibbs had made her give it straight back to him, but ever since he'd been determined to beat her back. Until the time when he felt confident he could do so, matches would be their only currency.

Glenside was a bit of a backwater, really. Tony had grown up travelling around with his father. Before the DiNozzo Shipping Company had gone completely broke, he'd managed to see bits of Europe, and even taken one memorable trip out west to China.

But then his father had lost it all and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. His creditors soon cleaned up what was left of the Company and left a teenaged Tony DiNozzo Junior to find his own way in the world. First he travelled out west, thinking the gold rush would be the answer to the DiNozzo family's woes. But that plan failed on account of all the work involved in searching for gold that Tony just wasn't prepared to commit himself to.

So instead he found himself taking on a whole host of odd jobs, travelling around wherever he could find work. He found himself doing a lot of bounty hunting and it turned out he had a knack for tracking down criminals. Which led him to Glenside and his first meeting with Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Now he had a steady job and a place of his own. And even if this rundown little place really was too small for a DiNozzo, it was almost starting to feel like home.

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><p>Tony knew the local lawyer, a geeky Irish kid called Timothy McGee, had a thing for Abby. He was a catholic boy, a learned one at that who'd spent more of his life in some dusty old library than the real world. Because of this, Tony had fully expected the lawyer to gaze from afar.<p>

He certainly hadn't expected to find the pair in the parlour room of the house Abby shared with the sheriff, chatting quietly over what looked like tea.

'Evening Mr McGee, didn't expect to find you here.' Tony remarked.

'Mr McGee was just checking up on me after the funeral, isn't he sweet?' Abby positively cooed and the lawyer blushed. Tony couldn't help grinning.

'I was thinking we'd play a few rounds of five card draw, perhaps Mr McGee would like to join in. Do you play cards McGee?' Tony enquired after removing his hat and jacket.

'I made a study of the game in university, calculating the winning percentages of any possible hand, actually,' McGee replied smoothly. Tony paused for a moment, examining the look in the lawyer's eye. Then he laughed, was the lawyer actually jealous of him?'

'Sounds like you have a bit of competition Abby. Did you know Abby's the second best poker player in all of Glenside?'

'No, who's the first?'

'Ducky, he taught me everything I know,' Abby explained. 'Would you like some tea, Tony?'

'You know I hate the stuff Abby. Any whisky?'

'You know where it is, help yourself.'

'Uh, who is Ducky?' McGee asked, as Tony made his way to the sideboard, where Gibbs kept his whisky.

'Old Doc Mallard. Mallard's a kind of duck, apparently,' Tony replied. 'Can I get you one, McGee?' he asked, holding up the whisky.

'No thank you, Mr DiNozzo.'

The card game was closely fought, especially between McGee and Abby. McGee was often of two minds, seemingly wanting to win and impress Abby, but at pains to beat her. Tony couldn't help finding the whole thing amusing, when he wasn't sulking after every hand he lost. There were a lot of those.

After a couple of hours, Gibbs appeared. McGee and Tony bid their farewells and headed out. Tony offered to walk McGee home, the lawyer was new, and he imagined Abby would be sad if her new pet fell down a well in the dark.

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><p>When Tony had first started working for Gibbs, he'd come seriously close to being fired again in his first week. Gibbs was a marine from the civil war, an early riser and short on patience. Tony was not a morning person. He woke up when he woke up, and that was all there was to it.<p>

Gibbs found the solution. He'd bought Tony a rooster, which now lived in a pen right next to Tony's bedroom. Now Tony never missed an opportunity to watch the sun rise over the town, whether he wanted to or not.

Gibbs was already at the sheriff's office when the deputy arrived. They saddled their horses silently before riding out towards Murphy's place. Tony thumbed through his notes and reiterated Murphy's story for Gibbs. They split at Murphy's front gate, Gibbs headed out to the western paddock where Murphy alleged his sheep had been stolen, while Tony went to wake Murphy up.

Murphy followed Tony out to the western paddock, babbling about how there was no point going there, that the thieves were long gone. All he wanted from the sheriff was for him to file a report so his boss wouldn't deduct the cost of the sheep from Murphy's wages.

'_Yeah, he definitely shot his own damn sheep,_' thought Tony as they found Gibbs.

'Morning, Murphy,' Gibbs said. Tony resisted the urge to smirk, Gibbs had that look in his eye. He was pretty sure the boss had already found the dead sheep.

'Morning, Sheriff.'

'You do know that there's a penalty involved in making a false report to the sheriff's office,' Gibbs continued.

'False report? Sheriff, I swear on my mother's grave, someone stole them damn sheep,' Murphy insisted, looking wild eyed from Tony to Gibbs.

'Mr Langer's suspected you've been mistreating his animals for some time. He's come to speak to me about it on more than one occasion. Going to be very upset when I tell him that I found twelve of his breeding ewes dead in the gully, Murphy,' Gibbs replied. He had little patience for silly drunks like Murphy. 'He might even think to have you charged for theft. At the very least, I suspect he'll terminate you from his employ.'

Murphy didn't stick around to listen further, he turned his horse around and kicked the poor beast into a gallop. Tony began his pursuit. After a few minutes, he noticed that Gibbs wasn't behind him. He supposed his boss was doing that thing where he circled around the chase to get in front of the runner.

Murphy disappeared around a copse of trees, suddenly Tony heard the sharp retort of a revolver. He slowed his horse up and pulled out his rifle, taking his time as he rounded the bend. Murphy hadn't been armed when he fled the western paddock only minutes ago.

The first thing Tony saw was a camp, the remains of a fire long dead. A nice looking grey mare was hobbled to one side sedately chewing on some grass. Murphy was on the ground, clutching at his leg, where he'd been shot. He must have fallen off his horse, which kept running. Tony frowned, where was the shooter?

'Deputy Sheriff Tony DiNozzo, show yourselves.' He called out, eyeing the trees, where the shooters undoubtedly hid.

'Deputy Sheriff? I would have expected a man dressed in a real silk vest to at least be the sheriff.'

Tony turned to the source of the female voice behind him, and froze. It wasn't the huge colt .45 revolver she had in her hand, or the way her curly dark hair framed her face, messy in the way hair only was after one got out of bed. It was the whole package. The overly large shirt she wore, the top buttons undone, exposing a tantalising piece of her flesh for his viewing pleasure, and the lack of any other clothing. It was the way she'd snuck up on him and the smile she wore as she examined him returning his interest.

'That... she-demon shot me! I want her prosecuted DiNozzo, I want her hung, drawn and quartered,' Murphy continued to shout abuse at the woman, snapping Tony out of his reverie.

'It was self defence. I was washing up when he just appeared out of nowhere on his horse. I just... shot him on instinct,' The woman replied with a shrug.

'Not many women I know will shoot a man on instinct,' Tony replied, intrigued.

'You must not know many real women.'

'I know plenty of real women.' Tony insisted, defensive.

'If it is okay with you, I would like to put on some pants before we continue this further,' she replied. Tony's brain shut off again as the woman marched over to her pack and pulled out a pair of pants 'Turn around, Deputy,' she ordered. Tony looked away, wondering what had gotten into him that he'd lose his senses like that. He was more than familiar with women and their bodies, he'd seen women in much greater states of undress.

Perhaps it was the way this particular one was so comfortable in front of him. He didn't think she was a prostitute, they generally didn't camp around the countryside toting big revolvers with the ease and comfort she did that .45.

'Do you have a name, ma'am?' Tony asked, as he examined the countryside, trying to cool himself off.

'Yes,' she replied.

After another minute's silence, Tony scowled. 'Care to tell me what your name is, ma'am?' he asked. There was no reply. Slowly, he turned back around, to find to his great consternation that she and her things were gone.

'Sucker,' Murphy chuckled from the ground. Tony scowled and dismounted, pulling Murphy into a sitting position.

'Shut up.'

'DiNozzo! What reason did you have for shooting Murphy?' Gibbs demanded. He pulled his horse up, Murphy's horse trailing behind.

'I didn't. There was this uh, woman, camped here. She shot Murphy when he rode through her camp.'

'Where is she?'

'Well uh, she'd been bathing at the time. So I turned around to give her a moment to change, and she was gone when I turned back,' Tony explained, feeling like a real fool. He couldn't believe that he'd been tricked by a woman.

Gibbs sighed. 'Write it up, DiNozzo,' he told the younger man. He could see that his deputy was too embarrassed to be lying. Course, this meant Gibbs had a new problem to think about. Who was this mystery woman who went camping around the countryside and shooting men?


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, glad you're enjoying it so far. Again thanks be to LouC for putting up with my bad grammatical habits.**

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><p>'Mr Morrow's saloon is to be put up for sale, all the proceeds and his personal effects are hereby bequeathed to Miss Abigail Sciuto,' McGee read aloud from the last will and testament. In front of him, Sheriff Gibbs nodded.<p>

'Sounds fine,' he replied.

'As per Mr Morrow's instructions, I've already arranged to have listings posted in the state paper, as well as in the store in town here, and in five other towns across the county. I'll try and have this matter sorted as promptly as possible, Sheriff. Is there an account for Miss Sciuto where I should deposit the funds of the sale?'

'You'd have to talk to Abby about that.'

'Okay.' McGee replied, sounding entirely too happy at the prospect for Gibbs' liking.

'McGee.'

'Yes, Sheriff?' McGee replied, polite and respectful again. Gibbs contemplated what he wanted to say, it was obvious that the lawyer had an interest in Abby, and as nice as the boy seemed, he couldn't help worrying that Abby's lack of an actual father might be a temptation for young men. He sighed, stating that tactfully wasn't his forte, he'd have to talk to Duck first, the old Doctor was better at that sort of thing than he.

'Good work.' With that, Gibbs took his leave of the lawyer's office, which was only the front room of McGee's house.

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><p>Tony fumed over the mystery woman for an entire week before Abby found him and ordered him to attend a Sunday dinner at Ducky's with her. Ducky shared the largest house in Glenside with his very old mother and her two dogs. She mostly kept to the half of the house farthest away from the rooms Ducky used for his practice. The doctor and his stories bored the hell out of Tony most of the time, but the old guy had good scotch and a spare bed that he occasionally let Tony borrow on nights like these, when Tony drank so much he couldn't walk in a straight line.<p>

People in Glenside didn't really know his story, he'd given Gibbs the short version, father ditched him when he was fifteen, made his own way since then. That was all Gibbs cared to know. But Abby and Ducky, when he'd deigned to share that same bit of information with them, saw through his carefree facade.

Thankfully, they never really pressed him to talk about it. Lord, he'd shoot himself before he would be prepared to talk about that. But they were nice to him, inviting him to join them every now and then. He didn't feel like such a stranger in this town because of them.

On this particular night, they were nice enough to put up with his lousy drunk ass through dinner and afterwards as Ducky and Abby talked by the fire and he drank some more. Without complaint, they helped him into the examining room and onto the bed Ducky used for his patients. Abby pressed a kiss to his cheek, before they left him to sleep it off.

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><p>'Deputy DiNozzo sir, wake up.'<p>

There was only one person in Glenside who added the sir on the end of his name. Tony groaned. His head was pounding,his mouth felt disgusting and his stomach... well, he'd felt a lot better. 'Go away Palmer,' He muttered.

'I would, only Doctor Mallard has his first patient of the day in ten minutes, and I need to change the linens before then.'

'Do you have to talk so loud, Palmer?'

'Sorry,' Palmer replied, sounding abashed. Tony groaned as he slid his feet back onto the ground, straightening slowly. He glanced up at Palmer, in his suspenders and white coat, and scowled.

'Sorry, rough night.'

'Do you want something for your head Deputy? I think I know what Doctor Mallard would usually prescribe for this.'

'Last time you prescribed me something Palmer, I was pissing blue for a week. I've never been so damned scared in my life.'

'I've gotten better since then.'

'Just water.' Tony replied. Palmer handed him a glass of water which Tony downed. Palmer then handed him his jacket and hat, which he pulled down low over his brow, trying to keep out the sun. He then staggered out of the room, wincing at the glare of the morning sun. Gibbs was gonna have his head for being late to work.

Halfway to the sheriff's office, he came across Abby, who had a strange look on her face. 'You alright, Abby?'

'Better than you, I suspect,' She remarked, looking him over. 'I talked to Gibbs this morning, he's agreed to give you the day off.'

'Thanks. So where are you headed?'

'Mr McGee's offices. It seems he has found a buyer for the saloon, and I have to sign some documents for them,' Abby replied, thus explaining the odd look on her face. He put an arm around her shoulders. In part to provide her with his support, but also because he was still finding walking in a straight line to be something of a challenge.

'Maybe you could ask the new owner to keep the name?' Tony suggested.

'That would be nice. Will you come with me?' she asked suddenly. 'Moral support.'

'Well if I really am off the hook with Gibbs, then sure.'

'Would I lie to you?'

'You do every time we play poker,' Tony replied, earning himself an elbow in the side.

'Please don't do that again,' he begged, holding his stomach, waiting for it to calm down.

* * *

><p>He recognised her voice before he recognised her. Sitting in front of McGee's desk, she looked nothing like he'd last seen her, dressed only in a shirt, holding a comically huge gun. He froze up, taking in the thing she'd done with her hair, and the dress, given the fact that she was buying the saloon, must be as expensive as it looked.<p>

'Move, Tony,' Abby ordered, prodding him in the butt. He jumped slightly and stepped out of the doorway. McGee brightened at the sight of Abby and Tony reminded himself to have a word with McGee about his intentions.

The mystery woman stood up, turning to see the new arrivals. She wasn't taken aback to see him at all, though she did smirk at him, looking him over before turning her attention to Abby.

'My condolences for your loss, Miss Sciuto,' she told Abby, in that damn lilting voice that had been haunting him for the last week.

'Thank you.'

'This is Miss David, she has proposed to buy the saloon,' McGee added. 'Uh, why is Deputy DiNozzo here?'

'What's it to you, McGee?' Tony snapped eyeing Miss David, whose name sounded foreign, even if it was ordinary.

'It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Deputy. I'm looking forward to getting to know the both of you better, now that I am moving to town.'

'_Lord have mercy,'_ Tony prayed silently.

'I do have one thing to ask of you before I sign these papers,' Abby said, in a firm voice. Tony remembered why he was there, and shuffled closer to her side.

'Really?' McGee asked, looking perplexed.

'I know that once you buy the place it's all yours to do with what you will. But Mr Morrow was a good friend to me, and a lot of people in town. I would like you to keep his name on the building out of respect,' Abby continued. Tony could tell his friend was getting upset again. He pressed a hand to her arm, guiding her in the last remaining chair. He picked a patch of wall by the door and sagged against it.

'I am agreeable to that Miss Sciuto, I can honestly say that I never had any intention of changing the name,' replied Miss David.

'Thank you. And please call me Abby.'

Tony almost dozed off as the contracts were signed and the arrangements for payment were made. He did take note that Miss David was apparently paying upfront, through a cash deposit at the bank. He wondered what kind of single woman possessed that kind of wealth.

Finally Abby begged off a lunch with McGee and Miss David, to walk Tony home. He happily fled the room, until the too fast movements made his stomach rebel and he was forced to slow down.

'What was that all about, Tony?' Abby asked him as they left McGee's offices.

'All what?'

'I have never seen you miss an opportunity to flirt with a woman before, especially not one as beautiful as Miss David. And she's wealthy to boot.'

'Can you keep a secret Abby?' Tony asked her in a low voice.

'Please, you've seen me bluff,' she smirked and he grinned, which turned into a wince.

'Remember that woman who shot Murphy and got the drop on me?'

'Yeah?'

'It was Miss David.'

'No way!'

'I swear on my life, Abby! Rich little heiress, she is not. I wouldn't be surprised if she's some kind of outlaw who robs trains or something. Maybe that's where she got her money,' Tony mused.

'Wow.'

'I bet she's even better at poker than you, she didn't even blink when she saw me.'

'What are you going to do about her Tony?'

'What do you mean?'

'Shouldn't you arrest her or something?'

'For shooting Murphy? Nah, he had it coming, there's no case to be had there. Besides, if I go accusing her when she's dressed like that, acting like a right little princess, who's gonna believe her over me? I'm just a drunk deputy who let a woman trick him,' he muttered morosely. Abby elbowed him again and he cried out in pain.

'That's for the woman comment,' Abby informed him in a prim voice as she walked on ahead of him, her head held up high.

'Not nice, Abby.'

'Because I like you Tony, I'll write off all that nonsense on account of the bottle of scotch you polished off last night. Stop being so down on yourself, you are a great deputy.'

'Thanks,' He muttered as they stopped outside his place, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. 'I'll see you later.'

'Get some sleep.'

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><p>Tony was extra early for work on the Tuesday, he'd even gone as far as to start cleaning their tack when Gibbs arrived at the office. Gibbs nodded at his deputy and headed inside. He kicked up his heels and looked out towards the saloon.<p>

Glenside was a small place. Most of the locals lived on the surrounding properties so the businesses outnumbered residences. At the northern end of the main road stood Ducky's house, the largest in the area. There were a few other residential houses heading further in to town. Then in the centre of Glenside, the saloon, bank and Mr McGee's residences and offices sat in a row, directly across the street from the sheriff's offices and Jail. Immediately to the left of those was the general store and a few doors further than that the undertaker's. The far southern end of town was marked by the Blacksmith's forge. There were plans to build a Town Hall next to the bank, just as soon as someone found the money.

There was something to be said for the convenience of having the bank and the saloon directly across from the sheriff's offices. Most of Gibbs' daily work could be conducted without having to saddle the horses.

This morning it allowed him to watch the newest citizen of Glenside. Miss David. Abby had talked about her at dinner the previous night, apparently she was a real proper looking lady, and that DiNozzo was intrigued. The last part didn't surprise him, DiNozzo was attracted to good looking women like a dog to a bone.

There was something else about her that Abby knew, and that she'd done her best to hide from him. He didn't press her further about it. Abby wouldn't keep something that he absolutely needed to know from him. He would just figure out Miss David's secret himself.

Miss David was apparently an early riser like himself. She'd moved into one of the guest rooms over the saloon the night before. He'd yet to arrange to have Mr Morrow's personal effects removed from the owner's quarters out the back, but Abby said that Miss David was happy to give them time to organise things.

Now the woman was dressed in clothing more suited to a man, that she looked quite comfortable in. He watched as she led her horse out of the stables and mounted. Miss David didn't waste time getting up to a gallop, racing out of town. He sighed. About time he put some more coffee on anyways.

* * *

><p>Tony had just finished cleaning the tack and had it all stowed away behind the jail when Miss David rode up, breathing hard and sweating from her ride. She spotted Tony and grinned, dismounting to approach the deputy.<p>

'It's good to see you looking more... well, Deputy,' She remarked, eyeing him over in the way that never failed to affect him.

'Back at you,' he replied stiffly, folding his arms over his chest. She smirked, examining his stance.

'You are not happy with me, Tony.'

'It's Deputy DiNozzo. And no, I'm not.'

'Is this about the other week? I hope my, ah, sudden departure, didn't cause you any trouble.'

'Well not really, The sheriff loves it when I tell ridiculous stories about half naked woman who shoot suspects and vanish into thin air. I didn't look like an idiot at all!'

'I apologise, only I was so embarrassed to be caught in that state that I just had to flee,' her eyes sparkled and the barest hint of a smile curved her lips. Tony knew she must be laughing at him on the inside.

'I've heard that one before.'

'Really?'

'Not that one specifically, but I know when someone's speaking bull to me, Miss David.'

'I'm sure you do,' she teased, smiling again. 'Perhaps I can make it up to you.'

'Make what up to me? I'm fine.'

'When I get the saloon back in business, I will buy you a nice dinner, and all that you care to drink.'

'Buy me dinner? My understanding of proper courting procedures suggests, that I am meant to be the one buying you dinner.'

'Courting?' she raised an eyebrow. 'Who said anything about _courting_? Besides, I own the saloon. It makes more sense for me to give you a free meal. Otherwise, you are essentially buying me a meal from myself.'

Tony frowned at the derisive tone with which she spoke of courtship and his ego couldn't help but wonder if it was the idea in general or him specifically to which she objected. 'Yeah, you own the saloon. How does a lady your age, unmarried I assume from the Miss, come to be able to afford to buy saloons? Rich daddy?' he probed, only to see Miss David flush and turn to pat her horse.

'That's none of your business, Deputy. Have a good day.' She turned and led her horse back to the saloon's stables. Tony frowned after her, maybe he'd been more right about the train robber remark than he'd thought at the time. Why else would she avoid the question? Most ladies liked to brag about their father's assets. But then, he was quickly getting the feeling that Miss David was definitely not like 'most ladies'.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you're all still enjoying this, as much as I did writing it. Oh, and Carn the Crows for Showdown 30!**

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><p>Life in Glenside didn't change all that much with the introduction of the new owner of Morrow's Saloon. Miss David had the place reopened within a week, rehiring the old staff who used to work there, and throwing a big reopening party.<p>

Tony didn't see much of Miss David that night, he was sufficiently distracted watching Palmer and a gorgeous blonde woman move around the floor, Palmer trying not to step on her feet and occasionally succeeding. Then there was the McGee and Abby show. She consented to dancing with him on two occasions, and ever since he'd been acting like a lovesick puppy. Abby was getting more and more exasperated as the night wore on.

A couple of times Tony took Abby dancing to let her escape from McGee's constant attentions. That only served to earn him angry glares from the lawyer. And despite the celebratory atmosphere, Tony and Gibbs weren't given the luxury of a night off, there were at least two fist fights that needed breaking up. In both cases they doused the men in water and sent them home with their angry wives in tow.

At one point he did see Miss David dancing with Mr Langer, which irritated him for some reason he couldn't explain.

Then it was closing time, and Gibbs was off escorting Ducky and Abby home, while Tony stayed back to make sure people cleared out without any issues.

Before he knew it, he was standing in the empty front bar, watching as Miss David sent the barman home early, insisting that they could worry about the mess in the morning. The only other living soul, was old Mike Franks, passed out in a corner. He looked around, he'd seen the place in worse shape, but that was after a gang of cattle thieves had decided to make the front bar their own, before Gibbs, Tony, Vance and Morrow had cleared them out again.

'Don't worry about moving Franks. He'll sleep it off there, and walk home in the morning,' Tony explained, when he noticed Miss David eyeing the unshaven old man.

'Things went okay, yes?'

'It was a good night,' Tony agreed. 'I didn't see you for much of it.'

'There's a lot of work involved in running this place, like you would not believe.'

'Oh, my mistake. I thought you were avoiding me,' Tony replied glibly as he traced the wood grain of the bar with his thumb.

'Well, you are wrong.'

'Okay then.' He watched her, amused at her indignant response to his accusation. It wasn't like he cared if she was avoiding him or not, he had plenty of other ladies interested in spending time with him.

'It was my father's money, if you must know. I just, I don't like to be known as one of those women who is provided for. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.'

Tony could think of half a dozen quips he could make at this point, but the fact that she was visibly upset by the whole thing prevented him. 'Trust me, Murphy knows that you're perfectly capable. And so do I.'

That made her smile, and her smiling made him smile involuntarily. Until he realised that they were just grinning at each other like a pair of idiots in her front bar, and that he really should take his leave.

'Goodnight, Miss David.'

'I still owe you dinner.'

'Could you owe me a dance or two instead? Halloween's in two weeks time.'

'If that is what you want, sure.'

'Goodnight again, Miss David.'

'Goodnight, Deputy.'

* * *

><p>Halloween seemed to ambush Tony, he and Gibbs had been caught up investigating the theft of a horse from the Hayes farm during the intermittent weeks. Abby, in her role as the local school teacher, was one of the primary people in charge of setting up the day, and as had become usual when it came to Abby's projects, McGee happily volunteered. Somehow, Tony was recruited for the real manual labour.<p>

Then it was the eve of Halloween, and he and Gibbs were up all night dealing with pranksters, until he collapsed into the cot at the back of the sheriff's office at five in the morning. He was going to be able to do one hell of a living dead impression later that night.

She liked that Tony was fastidious with his personal appearance, to the point of being vain. She knew he spent a good portion of his pay on nice clothes, and whilst his hair really defied any attention given to it, he was always clean shaven and unlike many men, smelt rather nice.

Then he showed up to the Halloween celebrations in yesterday's clothes, his hair even messier than she'd ever seen it, and the dark shadows of facial growth over his jaw. She liked this look a lot as well. The wild, unkempt look, it was darker, sexier, and not really him. She wouldn't like it so much if it was an everyday thing, but tonight it affected her on a baser level. It reminded her of the old days, her father's boys had the wild and dangerous look going all the time, mostly because they were wild and dangerous. This was the cause of her initial interest in Deputy Tony DiNozzo, he was everything she wasn't entirely used to. He was representative of the life she was trying to build here in sleepy little Glenside.

'I ain't never having kids,' Tony informed Abby, before he made his way to the bar. He'd been recruited by Gibbs and Abby to keep an eye on the kids running around trick and treating, making sure their tricks weren't too malevolent. To say the experience was stressful and unpleasant was an understatement.

'Tony, don't be so dramatic,' replied Abby as she followed him to the bar.

'Easy for you to say, you weren't out there, trying to keep a leash on them feral Simpson boys. I think it's my duty to suggest to their mother that she call in a priest to perform an exorcism,' Tony replied, as the barman poured his bourbon. He took the shot glass, downed the entire thing, and demanded another.

Abby tossed up her hands. 'I'll leave you to your drinking, clearly trying to use reason on you was my big mistake.'

'Bah, be gone with you,' Tony muttered, downing yet another shot of bourbon. Abby sighed and moved away. She spotted Miss David and approached her.

'He's babbling nonsense, and drinking like the world is ending,' Abby complained.

'Does he do this often?'

'Oh, on occasion. But he's in a real mood for the drink, so if you want to dance with a DiNozzo who can stand on his own volition, I'd suggest you get in there quick.'

Miss David was about to protest any desire to dance with DiNozzo, drunk or otherwise, but she thought better of it and just looked upon him downing what was at least his third shot in as many minutes. She turned back to Abby, who gave her a push.

'He's not going to be conscious for much longer,' Abby insisted. Miss David sighed and made her approach, Tony noticed her as he finished his fourth shot.

'I believe I owe you a dance or two.'

Tony grinned. 'I'm glad one of us remembered.' And with that he grabbed her hand and yanked her out onto the dance floor. The first number was fast paced and energetic, the pace masking Tony's clumsiness. On two occasions she found herself preventing him from falling face first into the floor.

Then the music changed to a slow dance and Tony took the opportunity to pull her in close. Closer than was entirely proper, but she wasn't one to complain.

'So Miss David, do you have a first name? Or is it just David? The man's name is weirding me out here, no matter how it's pronounced,' Tony mumbled into her neck, she flushed at the feel of his hot breath on her bare skin.

'Ziva.'

'Ziva?'

'Yes.'

'I like it. Zeevaah.' He repeated her name, drawing out the letters.

'So how was your Halloween Tony?' she asked, figuring that if he was going to use her given name, she was fine to use his as well. Besides, what names they used with each other wasn't going to cause half as much controversy as the way they were dancing.

'Well, it's getting better.'

* * *

><p>Tony was literally whistling on his way to work. It didn't seem to matter that the sky was a sullen overcast grey and that a bitingly cold wind kept blowing, promising nasty weather on the horizon.<p>

'Ah, good morning Anthony,' Ducky called out, as he and his mother came in sight, preceded by her two little corgis. Every now and then Mrs Mallard would demand her son take her for a walk around the block, it usually occupied most of Ducky's morning.

'Morning Ducky and Mrs Mallard.'

'We were just taking a brief turn around the neighbourhood, Mother requested fresh air,' Ducky explained, doing his best to hide his frustration.

'Who is this boy, Donald?' Mrs Mallard demanded, peering at Tony.

'This is Deputy Anthony DiNozzo, Mother, you've met him before.'

'DiNozzo, was it? The name rings a bell... ah yes, Mrs Fielding mentioned the boy at our weekly bridge game last week.' Mrs Mallard turned her attention from her son to Tony. 'Do you prefer the term gigolo or prostitute?'

Tony felt his jaw drop, and was vaguely aware that Ducky's mouth had also fallen open. 'I uh... what?'

'Mother! I think we should get you back inside now,' Ducky suggested as soon as he regained the power of speech.

'No, what are you talking about Mrs Mallard?' Tony insisted, frowning.

'The Halloween dance, Mrs Fielding told me all about your heathen dancing with Miss David.'

'Oh. Mrs Mallard, I am not a prostitute or a gigolo, whatever that is,' Tony explained in a clear slow voice, thanking god that the only other person present to hear this conversation was Ducky. He hoped the doctor would simply put it down to his mother's addled mind.

'Is Miss David the prostitute then? I always thought she was quite nice.'

'No! She's not one either.'

'Time for us to go, Mother, Anthony here is due at work.'

'Yes, have a good day,' Tony replied, before hurrying in the opposite direction. As he walked he mulled over this new information. Mrs Fielding was a notorious gossip, it was highly unlikely that she had shared her opinions of Tony and Ziva's actions at Halloween with just Mrs Mallard. Tony frowned, he was going to have to watch himself around Ziva. He'd hate to see her good reputation ruined on his account.


	4. Chapter 4

**Currently here in Australia it is ANZAC Day, which means a hell of a lot to me, even if my grandparents were british and I don't have the honour of claiming any actual veterans for ancestors. Honouring our war dead isn't about agreeing with the war, but respecting the commitment of the men and women who were prepared to fight on our behalf.**

**Lest We Forget.**

* * *

><p>It was another quiet day at the sheriff's offices. Gibbs was slowly working his way through a report from a neighbouring sheriff about some suspicious activity involving large purchases of guns. At his desk in the corner, Tony was playing a game of solitaire with a well worn deck of cards. When the deputy took a moment to look up from his game, he spotted something outside and winced.<p>

'I'm uh, just gonna check on the horses boss,' Tony said, abandoning his game and heading out through the back. Moments later the front door swung open and Miss David entered. She paused to look over at Tony's empty desk before turning to Gibbs.

'Afternoon, Sheriff. How are you?'

'The usual. What can I do for you?' Gibbs asked.

'I just wanted to give you a heads up. Half a dozen men have settled themselves in my front bar, they're drinking heavy and one of them's wearing an old confederate jacket. I'm not casting aspersions here, but they've already gotten into an argument with Franks.'

'Those sort come through every now and then, looking for trouble. I'll keep an eye out, if they get too rowdy I'll move them on for you.'

'Thank you, Sheriff.'

Gibbs couldn't know for sure if Tony had indeed checked on the horses, but he was back in the office very shortly after Miss David left. 'So, what did Miss David have to say?' Tony asked casually as he started a fresh game of solitaire.

'Heads up about some guys in her front bar that look like trouble. Apparently they were arguing with Franks earlier.'

'To be fair, who doesn't argue with Franks when he's conscious? I'm surprised no one shot him back when he was sheriff,' Tony muttered darkly, he was one of a long list of people Franks liked to give grief.

'Someone did,' Gibbs replied.

'Huh.'

* * *

><p>Ziva stood behind the front bar with Chad the bartender, eyeing the increasingly raucous group of men in front of them. She knew these men would end up destroying something of hers before they left tonight, she was more than familiar with their type.<p>

'I almost want them to do something, just so I can evict them sooner rather than later,' Ziva remarked.

'They're scaring off the locals. That's for sure,' Chad remarked, as they watched Keating the bank teller and Langer the sheep farmer skulk out of the bar.

'Langer's cheap anyway, can't hold his liquor at all,' Ziva scoffed, trying to hide her concern.

'Oi lady! Where's the damn whiskey?' one of the men shouted, slapping the bar with a broad hand. 'Damn women, hey?' he joked with his buddies. Ziva scowled.

'Money first,' she retorted.

'You think I ain't good for it? Why, that's insulting,' the man complained loudly. 'I oughta come back there and teach you some manners.'

'I'd like to see you try,' Ziva replied, stepping to the back wall. The man's buddies laughed and began to tease him about being challenged by a woman. His pudgy, unshaven face growing redder and redder by the second, before he finally lost his patience and began to march around the bar. Ziva turned, reached behind a bottle of whiskey and pulled out her colt. When the man didn't pause she fired, putting a round into his thigh.

The man let out a cry and fell back, with a sickening thud his head impacted with the corner of the bar before he fell to the ground. The bar fell silent as Chad hurried forward to check on the man.

'He's dead, ma'am.'

Ziva winced inwardly and turned her attention onto the man's friends, knowing that they wouldn't take this well. Even if the bastard did have it coming. For the time being, they appeared to still be in shock. Before they could recover, Gibbs and DiNozzo ran in, guns out.

'That bitch shot Brian,' one of his friends shouted, pointing at Ziva.

'In the leg! It was a non fatal wound,' Ziva replied, cocking her gun once again at the looks they were giving her.

'Dunham, go find Doctor Mallard,' Gibbs ordered. 'Now, you boys just sit down over there. And put them damn guns away.'

'Why haven't you arrested her yet Sheriff? Anyone in this bar'll tell you she's guilty as sin.'

'I'll arrest you for disturbing the peace if you don't shut up,' Gibbs growled back. DiNozzo walked over to their table, keeping a close eye on them as Gibbs went to talk with Ziva.

'I did not mean to kill him Sheriff, I promise you that,' Ziva said in a low voice.

'Start from the beginning, Miss David.'

'Like I told you earlier, they were a loud group, and quite rude. I disliked this one's manners and challenged him to back his words up with actions. When he came around the bar I shot him, he fell back and hit his head.'

'He was giving you lip, so you just... shot him?'

'He's six foot seven Gibbs, my odds in a fist or knife fight would be quite poor.'

They slipped into silence, waiting for Ducky to arrive. Ziva kept her gun in hand and cocked, as did Gibbs, DiNozzo and Brian's friends. When Ducky walked in ten minutes later with his bag and Dunham trailing behind, he was greeted by a positively frosty atmosphere.

'Duck,' Gibbs nodded in greeting, pointing towards the body.

Ducky knelt down and pressed his fingers to the man's neck, feeling for a pulse. Having confirmed for himself that the man was dead, he began his coronial examination. 'Shot once, in the upper left thigh,' Ducky noted to himself. 'Not the fatal blow, obviously. Dunham, my assistant is obviously asleep somewhere, could you help me roll the body?'

'Sure thing, Duck Man.'

'We are not well acquainted enough for you to use that name with me, young man,' Ducky frowned at Dunham, who grinned under his beard.

'Sorry, Doc.'

The pair rolled the body quickly.

'Here we go, blunt force trauma to the back of the skull, I posit that this man's demise came fast. And from the nature of the scene, I would rule the death an accident. As for the shooting, that is your area Gibbs,' Ducky explained as he stood once again. 'Palmer and Jackson will come for the body soon. Gerald is just rousing Mr Palmer now.'

'Mr Dunham,' Gibbs called Chad over to one side to get his statement. Brian's friends watched as Gibbs then spoke with Franks briefly, before turning his attention to Brian's gang.

'The shooting was self defence and his death accidental. Now I think it's safe to say everyone's night is over,' Gibbs told them in a voice that brooked no argument. The men still tried as they were ushered outside. Gibbs stood outside, watching them wander down the main street, arguing with each other.

'I can stay and help clean up, ma'am,' Chad offered.

'Go home Chad,' Ziva pressed, the bartender sighed and pulled his jacket out from under the bar.

'DiNozzo, wait here for Palmer and Jackson,' Gibbs ordered, leaving the saloon. Tony watched Gibbs disappear down the main street as well.

'You're making a habit of shooting men in the leg,' Tony remarked, taking a seat at the bar. Ziva eyed him, wondering how he could crack a joke with a dead body lying six feet away.

'I should not have baited him, not with his friends there,' Ziva mused, fighting the urge to look down at Brian's body. Tony shrugged as he traced the wood grain of the bar with a finger. Tony could see she was upset, and as much as he wanted to, he resisted asking her how she was coping, because if Ziva started crying, Tony didn't think he'd be able to resist the urge to hug her, and then that wouldn't do her reputation any favours at all. So instead they fell into an awkward silence, until ten minutes later when Palmer and Jackson appeared with a stretcher. Tony helped them get Brian onto the stretcher and covered him with a sheet and bid them good night. They would drop the body off at the Mortuary to be prepared for burial tomorrow morning.

'I'll be taking my leave, Miss David,' Tony muttered, before hurrying out of the saloon and down the street.

* * *

><p>Ziva locked up the saloon and took a seat at the bar with a bottle of whiskey, eyeing the dark stain on the floor. She took a shot and scowled. Today had been a serious mistake on her part, allowing her emotions to dictate her actions. Miss David would never bait a man like Brian, but that was exactly what Ziva had done. She couldn't believe that no one had seen her for what she really was yet, to her it seemed as if she was constantly failing to be that woman. The respectable, law abiding kind.<p>

She debated if maybe securing the guns away in a less accessible location would help her tamp down on those impulses. But the thought of being defenceless rankled with her too much.

As she wiped at her mouth after the third shot, she admitted to herself that it wasn't her conduct tonight that had her so miserable, but Tony's. Clearly he saw through her act, saw that she wasn't the woman he thought she was. His rude ignorance of her told Ziva all she needed to know about what Tony was really thinking. Although how he'd ever managed to think otherwise perplexed Ziva, as she recalled their first meeting. He'd known who she was from that first morning, but it took the death of a man to scare him off properly.

Ziva sighed and poured another shot. This was turning out to be a hell of a night.

* * *

><p>Gibbs almost half wished he liked smoking, because right now he'd have liked something to do to kill the time. On a hunch, he'd followed Brian's friends out of town to their campsite, a few hundred yards from the cemetery. He was surprised to see that they had a wagon. Men like these usually lived with only what could fit into their horse's saddlebags.<p>

Gibbs had resolved to wait until the men fell asleep and have a look at the contents of the wagon. Unfortunately for him, they had a pair of whiskey bottles and kept passing them around the fire as they lambasted him, Ziva and Chad, who apparently must be a eunuch for working under a woman. It was a good hour before the men basically passed out where they sat. Gibbs treaded silently around the perimeter of their camp, keeping out of the light of the fire until he was on the far side of the wagon. He raised the canvas and peered in, lighting a match to see. Gibbs was only half surprised to find a wagonload of weapons in front of him. He did a quick count of what he could see before resecuring the canvas and walking back into town.

* * *

><p>Tony was already at his desk with his pack of cards when Gibbs walked in. 'Hey, boss.' Tony mumbled, not looking up from his game. Gibbs growled and whacked the back of Tony's head, dropping the report he'd been reading the day before on his desk.<p>

'Brian's friends have a wagon full of guns a mile out of town, near the cemetery. Get familiar with the case DiNozzo,' Gibbs ordered, heading for the stove and the coffee. Tony opened up the report dutifully.

'So, any ideas why they have all those guns? I men, most people don't want more guns, they need the ammo for them,' Tony mused as he read. 'There's no real profit to be made in buying guns retail and reselling them.'

Gibbs sipped at his coffee as Tony continued to talk and read.

'They've got enough guns here for a small army,' Tony continued.

'Go talk to Dunham, Miss David, and anyone else who visited the saloon last night. Find out if they overheard anything before the shooting,' Gibbs ordered Tony, who looked resigned to his fate as he pulled on his hat and left the office.

* * *

><p>He talked to Langer and Keating first, but even if they did have anything of interest to say about guns, Tony suspected they were just too scared to tell him. After another half a dozen people around town and nothing of substance gained. Tony resigned himself to going to the saloon, where he would inevitably find Franks, Dunham and Ziva.<p>

The saloon had reopened that day, Tony spared a brief glance for the place where the body had been, but the blood stain was long gone. He removed his hat and walked down to the end of the bar where Franks always sat. Today he was the only customer, at the far end Dunham stood, wiping out a glass.

'Hey Mike,' Tony said, sitting down next to the old man.

'Kid, should you be drinking on duty?'

'Like that ever stopped you,' Tony retorted, Franks never failed to get under his skin. 'I need to talk to you about those guys who were in here yesterday.'

'Thought Gibbs already cleared up that shooting thing?' Franks replied as he beckoned Dunham over. 'I'll have another one of these, you want anything?'

'No,' Tony replied. 'This isn't about the shooting. I was wondering if you overheard them saying anything about guns?'

'Can't say I did. Course, I wasn't in here with them long, they annoyed me,' Franks replied.

'I heard them talking about guns,' Dunham interjected as he placed Franks' fresh bourbon on the bar. 'It was after you left Mike, they were getting good and drunk. Brian and this other one started talking about burying their merchandise at some place, and how they'd do it late one night when no one was around. Then someone else said something about having enough guns, but his friend told him to shut up.'

'They're going to bury guns someplace?' Tony repeated, amused.

'I heard of something like that,' Franks replied, sipping at his bourbon. 'Old friend of mine down Manassas way, busted a confederate conspiracy to retake Virginia and restart the civil war from there. Apparently they had supplies stashed all over the state. He doesn't think he found everything, they used all these different maps and codes to hide the stuff.'

'Well, I'm guessing this was in the years immediately after the war, which makes sense. But it's been a long time since all that, and these men are too young to be civil war veterans.' Tony mused.

'Which makes it even more disturbing,' Dunham added, absently wiping at a glass. The three men sat there, or in the case of Dunham stood, thinking. Until Ziva walked into the front bar with some papers, frowning.

'Chad, do you have a moment?' Ziva called. 'I think I've made a mistake here, either that or we're short five bottles of bourbon,' she looked up and spotted Tony, forgetting instantly about her stock take issues. 'Good morning, Deputy.'

'Morning, Miss David,' Tony replied, telling himself that as long as no one caught him at it, it was perfectly fine for him to check out the way her dress hugged her figure. Ziva bit her bottom lip, it would probably come across as the act of a desperate woman, but she simply had to speak to Tony about why he was ignoring her.

'Are you busy? Could we talk?' she asked him.

'I'm afraid I can't right now, I have to go speak to Gibbs, it's pretty important actually,' Tony replied, pulling on his hat as he hurried out of the bar. Ziva sighed and turned to Chad instead.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry about the wait**

* * *

><p>Ziva David was absolutely certain, that even in her nightmares, she could never have envisaged herself in such an awkward position. In the couple of weeks since the Halloween festivities, things between Deputy DiNozzo and herself had cooled noticeably. There had been no explanation given, or offence caused.<p>

And now they were trapped together. Something she didn't understand either. Sure, she wasn't meant to be in the bank vault, but she had been at the bank on other business and felt compelled to talk to him. She'd barely said three words before the heavy steel door of the vault swung closed with a dull thud.

Initially they weren't worried. The bank manager, Chip Sterling, knew that Tony was in there, he'd let them out shortly. But then twenty minutes passed, Tony examined his pocket watch and informed her that the bank had closed five minutes before. Being a Friday, Chip wouldn't be back until the Monday morning.

That still wasn't the cause for concern. Tony was meant to be at work with Gibbs by that point. Tony remarked wryly that he hoped when Gibbs found him, that he spared his life long enough for Tony to explain why he failed to show up to work.

After another half an hour of painful silence, Ziva found a cause for concern. 'Do you see an air vent?' she asked suddenly, peering around in the dim light afforded by the single oil lamp in the room.

'Oh, shit,' Tony swore. He stood and began to examine the walls. It was a brief search, he stopped and sat back down. 'There's no air vent.'

'How long will it take Gibbs to find us?' Ziva asked.

'No idea. You know, I'll bet Abby could figure out how much longer the air in here will last.'

'It might last longer without the lamp.'

Tony smirked in agreement, it was the last thing Ziva saw before he leant forward and extinguished the lamp. It occurred to her that if they weren't found in time, it could be the last thing she ever got to see.

'So, what did you want to talk to me about?' Tony asked, referring her back to the moments before they found themselves locked up in the vault.

'Oh, that,' Ziva replied, falling silent again. She was certain that Tony was staring in her general direction, and she resisted the urge to shift to a different spot.

'Come on, there's every chance we could die in here,' Tony teased, Ziva imagined that he was grinning in her direction, she really missed that oil lamp.

'That's very comforting.'

'You realise that we're locked in a vault with... there must be thousands of dollars here,' Tony remarked in a rapturous voice. 'See, Chipper holds the payroll for the railroad on occasion.'

'And what? You would like to liberate him of some of his cash?' Ziva scoffed. 'Tony, if Gibbs is the one to find us, I think he'd notice if you brought along a bag full of money. Then he definitely would shoot you.'

'Let a man dream, will ya?' Tony snapped back.

* * *

><p>Gibbs was glaring at his own pocket watch, when Abby wandered into the sheriff's offices. 'Hmm, what's Tony gone and done now?' Abby asked, eyeing the dark expression on the sheriff's face.<p>

'He's late for work.'

'It's a Friday afternoon Gibbs, relax. So what if he's a few minutes behind. Why would he be starting work at this time anyway?' Abby pondered.

'That's official Sheriff's business,' Gibbs replied, annoyed. 'He's an hour late already.'

'Okay, that's not like Tony. Well, since you bought him that rooster anyway,' Abby replied. 'I'm obviously finished work for the day, and if you have official business to attend to, then I guess I'll just go to the Saloon by myself,' Abby turned and flounced out of the sheriff's offices. Gibbs scowled and marched out as well, heading in the direction of Tony's place.

Fifteen minutes later as he marched back down the main street towards his offices, Abby came out of the saloon and hurried over. 'Tony not there?'

'No.'

'Well, I have an idea where he might be,' Abby replied, grinning. 'See, I was just in the saloon, and Mr Dunham told me that he can't find Miss David. She went to the bank shortly before they closed on business, and he hasn't seen her since,' Abby winked at Gibbs, who eyed the younger woman.

'Tony knows that I'll shoot him if that's the case,' Gibbs growled in reply. 'Now you mention it, I think I saw Tony entering the bank earlier.'

'So I'm right!' Abby replied, punching the air with a fist.

'I'm gonna go talk to Leon,' Gibbs replied, turning towards the General Store.

'Fine,' Abby turned in the opposite direction, having been struck with inspiration.

Ziva tucked her hands into her armpits in the vain hope of regaining some warmth in them. If there was one thing she missed about Mexico, the weather was definitely it.

'How long do you think it's been? I can't see my watch,' Tony asked suddenly.

'I do not know Tony. I cannot see your watch either,' Ziva snapped back, scowling at the way her voice shivered.

'Hey, are you cold?'

'No.'

'You sound cold. And fair enough too, that dress of yours wasn't made for this weather,' Tony mused, Ziva didn't bother to dignify that with a reply. 'Here, you can have my jacket,' he said. Ziva listened to him moving around, and nearly jumped when she felt his hand on her skirt covered thigh.

'What are you doing?' Ziva demanded. She didn't like this darkness thing.

'Just trying to find my way,' Tony replied. Ziva could feel his body settling against the wall next to her, pressing her into the set of shelves on her other side to avoid inappropriate contact. 'You obviously can't see it, but I'm waving my jacket in front of your face.' Ziva snatched the garment from his hands and pulled it on, immediately feeling warmer.

'Thank you,' Ziva told him, settling back against the wall, trying not to think about the fact that it was getting a little hard to draw breath.

'You're welcome,' Tony replied, before he placed an arm around her shoulders, Ziva stiffened.

'Now what do you think you are doing?'

'Trying to warm you up,' Tony replied.

'What the hell is wrong with you?' Ziva hissed.

* * *

><p>Abby knocked against the door of a small house on the edge of the town proper. Moments later, Chip Sterling answered, a funny smile half hidden by his tiny moustache.<p>

'Mr Sterling, how are you today?' Abby greeted him.

'I'm excellent, Miss Sciuto, would you like to come in?' Chip replied, breaking into a proper grin. Abby followed him inside, and after Charles Sterling had her seated and poured her a cup of tea, she returned to the reason for her visit.

'I'm trying to find Deputy DiNozzo or Miss David, have you seen either of them today?'

'Uh, Miss David visited the bank for a short time before we closed, but after that I really can't speak to where she went. I haven't seen the Deputy at all.'

'Huh. See, I was just over at the Saloon, and Mr Dunham says that Miss David visited the bank and never returned. And as for Deputy DiNozzo, Gibbs told me he saw Tony entering the bank, and now he's late for work and Gibbs can't seem to find him,' Abby mused, trying to puzzle it out. Chip paled and turned to a side table, Abby watched as he pulled open a small drawer and removed a gun. He turned back to her and cocked the weapon.

'I was hoping no one would miss that bastard for another day.'

* * *

><p>Gibbs entered the general store and stood to one side as Leon Vance lectured a boy about shoplifting, before sending the kid on his way. 'Anything I want to know about, Leon?' Gibbs asked, watching the boy flee.<p>

'No, I got it under control,' the shopkeeper replied. 'What brings you over here Gibbs?'

'I seem to have lost my deputy,' Gibbs replied. 'And Miss David can't be found either. You haven't seen anything have you?'

'I remember Miss David and the Deputy entering the bank at separate times. I can't say I remember them leaving, together or apart.'

'You didn't see them leave?'

'Now you mention it, no. And that kid's been my first customer in the last two hours,' Vance replied, frowning slightly.

'Interesting,' Gibbs replied. 'If you'll excuse me Leon, I think I need to have a word with Mr Sterling.'

* * *

><p>'Wrong with me? What are you talking about?' a confused Tony asked, Ziva scowled and pushed his arm away.<p>

'Ever since Halloween you've been acting different, almost ignoring me. And now you're not.'

'Different,' Tony repeated, trying to get his head around her meaning.

'You never speak to me, you hardly even looked in my direction. You have definitely been trying to avoid me.'

'I'm talking to you now.'

'I suspect that's because you think we're going to die in here.'

'I do not think that! I agree it's a good possibility, but you can't count Gibbs out, he's pretty smart for an old man.'

'You're avoiding my point.'

'Okay,' Tony took in a deep breath. 'Perhaps I was a bit embarrassed by how I was acting on Halloween, and maybe I was trying to protect your reputation from being completely ruined. Not to mention mine, but I think that's been shot since I first rode into this town.'

'My reputation? Tony, don't you think if I thought my reputation was in jeopardy I would have done something about it?' Ziva replied, scowling in his general direction. 'You don't worry about my reputation, that is entirely my business.'

'You know, most ladies like it when a man cares for her reputation.'

'You saying I'm not a lady?'

'No! You're a fine lady, really fine,' Tony replied, and Ziva knew that if either of them could see a damn thing, he'd be checking her out yet again. Why he had to always do that she didn't know, it wasn't as if her appearance changed from day to day.

'I'm really not in the mood Tony, go sit over there again,' she ordered, with a sigh Tony shuffled back over to the opposite wall.

* * *

><p>Gibbs was still thirty feet away when he heard a high pitched cry of pain emanating from Chip's house. He pulled out his gun and ran for the front door, he burst in and followed his hearing into the parlour, where he found of all things, a dishevelled Abby with one boot pressed into Chip's back, a derringer pistol in one hand, and a larger gun in the other.<p>

'Gibbs, hi,' Abby said, still breathing heavily. 'I was just trying to get Chip here to tell me what he's done to Tony.'

'Sheriff, you have to help me, she's gone insane,' Chip begged. Gibbs sighed and holstered his gun.

'Where's my deputy, Mr Sterling?' Gibbs ordered, Chip's face soured.

'I should have just shot him,' Chip scowled.

'So what did you do?' Gibbs pressed, Chip remained sullenly silent. 'If Abby shoots you, I'll have to rule it self defence Mr Sterling.'

'He's in the vault.'

'What?'

'I locked him in the bank vault. It's airtight, I figured no one would miss him overnight, by tomorrow morning he'd be properly dead,' Chip explained. Gibbs pulled out his handcuffs and tossed them to Abby.

'Now, how do I open the vault?' Gibbs asked as Abby cuffed Chip with brisk efficiency.

'Combination lock, but I'll never tell! By the time you get it open he'll be dead,' Chip replied gleefully. Gibbs sighed and reached into his boot, pulling out a knife.

'What's the combination Chip? You lose a finger for every minute you make me wait.' Chip paled and quickly mumbled the sequence of numbers, Gibbs tucked the knife away again. 'Hold him here, Abby. I'll be back shortly,' Gibbs ordered, before setting off at a dead run for the bank.

He ignored the strange looks people gave him as he broke down the front door of the bank building. He ran through to the bank, and down the stairs to the basement. There he found the bank vault. It took him a good fifteen minutes to figure out the combination lock, before he finally managed to pull the steel door open. The two occupants peered up at him from the darkness.

'Hey boss. See, I told you we wouldn't die.'

'Whatever,' Ziva snapped as she flounced out of the cell. 'Do you know who did this? I wish to shoot them.'

'I've already arrested Mr Sterling, so I can't let you shoot him,' Gibbs replied, mildly amused. Ziva glared at Tony one last time for good measure.

'Fine,' she turned and stormed out of the building.

'So, Chip Sterling?' Tony enquired.

'He really doesn't like you,' Gibbs replied. 'Looks like it might be contagious.'

* * *

><p><strong>Just a fun little chapter, keep reading and reviewing guys, love the feedback.<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm sorry this took two weeks to get out, hope you enjoy it**

* * *

><p>Tony was quite disconcerted to discover that an attempt on his life wasn't enough to get him out of an all night stakeout. So they left to begin their fourth consecutive night of watching and waiting.<p>

Their stakeout lasted another week, and had followed a monotonous routine. Without the saloon as an option, Brian's friends would buy bottles of bourbon from Vance. Then they'd drink them all back at their camp while bitching about Gibbs' failure to arrest Ziva, and whinging about some new tax and how the American way of life was being destroyed by northerners. Inevitably as the bourbon ran dry, there'd be a fist fight or two over stupid, petty things. Then they'd pretty much pass out where they stood. At that point Gibbs would decide that they'd done enough staking out for the night and let Tony go home and defrost in front of his kitchen stove.

Gibbs didn't give up the stake out of his own accord. Instead, he received a telegram from someone called Fornell, who was apparently part of a state police force that Tony didn't previously know existed. What this boiled down to, was Gibbs having to leave to meet with Fornell, and Tony being left in charge.

'Since I'll be gone, you shouldn't continue the stakeout,' Gibbs informed him as he continued to pack his things. Tony sat on the edge of his desk, trying to keep the gleeful grin off his face. If Gibbs knew how much he was looking forward to being sheriff for the next two or three days, he would probably refuse to leave.

'No worries, boss.'

'Just... make sure the place stays in once piece until I get back,' Gibbs ordered as Tony followed him out to the stables.

'Everything will be fine. It's two, three days tops. I'll just sit back at your desk, play some solitaire, maybe some poker with Abby. Who knows, if I get bored I might even do some of my paperwork.' Tony grinned as Gibbs sighed and placed his last few items into one of the saddlebags on his horse.

'If anything happens, if you suspect that they're going to make their move. I want you to contact me immediately,' Gibbs ordered.

'Absolutely boss.'

'Gibbs! I can't believe you weren't going to wait for me to come and say goodbye,' Abby snapped, marching towards them with a scowl across her features. 'Really, I understand that you're not big on talking or anything that doesn't involve shooting people or drinking coffee, but I would hope that you'd at least spare five minutes to bid your ward farewell before you leave town.'

'If you're done, Abs. I was just on my way over to the schoolhouse to see you. Why aren't you there? Who's watching the kids?'

'I left McGee in charge. He stopped by during my break and mentioned that he saw you packing. And well, I got mad and proceeded here immediately,' Abby explained, feeling slightly foolish and very pleased. Next to her Tony laughed.

'You left lawyer boy in charge of thirty kids?' Tony repeated, disbelieving.

'Well being Irish, I'll bet he's got plenty of siblings. I'm sure he's doing just fine. He's an educated man after all,' Abby reasoned. Gibbs gave a small growl as he leant forward and pressed a kiss into Abby's hair.

'I have to go now.' Gibbs told them. Abby gasped and grabbed him into a quick hug. When Gibbs managed to free himself he mounted his horse. 'One of you should go save the lawyer before the Simpson boys scar him for life,' He ordered. Tony snickered as they watched Gibbs ride out.

'So, if McGee's watching the kids, wanna play poker with the new sheriff?' Tony asked, grinning.

'You know I love kicking your butt Tony, but I really should go and rescue McGee.'

'Do you really have to?'

'Yes, I really have to,' Abby replied, exasperated. 'I'm sure you can find some other way to occupy your time.'

'Hmm, yes. I have a list of things that I'd do if I could be sheriff for a day, but I never thought I'd be able to act on it, because really, me as sheriff?' Tony scoffed at the thought, Abby just rolled her eyes.

'You better get used to it Tony, who do you think they're going to give that badge to when Gibbs decides to retire?'

'Gibbs retiring?'

'I know, weird thought. But it's going to happen eventually, in theory.'

'In theory.' Tony repeated. 'And if he does retire Abby, I'm sure they'll be able to find someone much better suited than me. Evan John Barrett from Rotaville would be a good choice.'

'Oh, stop that crap Tony. Before you came along, Gibbs never had a permanent deputy. Why do you think he decided he needed you of all of a sudden?'

'Boredom? I tell you, this job ain't all it's cracked up to be Abby.'

'Right, I'm going back to my job now. You're just going to have to find someone else to help you occupy your time, Sheriff,' Abby said with a laugh, punching his shoulder. Tony shook his head and stepped back inside the sheriff's offices, grinning as he bypassed his desk to sit behind Gibbs'.

'I could get used to this,' He told himself, pulling out his old deck of cards from one pocket.

* * *

><p>Tony made himself stay back at the office until five in the afternoon, when he promptly locked up and marched across the street to the saloon. Business had slowly been growing for the saloon in the wake of the shooting, the absence of Brian's friends certainly helped Ziva's cause. Most of the town disliked them more than her, and the fact that the saloon was the only one in town pretty much guaranteed her bottom line.<p>

'So tell me, is there a discount with me being sheriff and all?' Tony asked her with a grin as he slid onto a bar stool. Ziva cocked an eyebrow.

'Sheriff? You?'

'Gibbs is out of town, meeting with the state police,' Tony explained. 'He left me in charge.'

'I'm sure moments like these are why my father advised that one should always be prepared to take their security into their own hands,' Ziva teased with a grin.

'You know, I'd have to ask the lawyer McGee, but I'm sure it's a crime to mock the sheriff's good name.'

'How about I buy you a drink and you overlook it?'

'Deal,' Tony replied with another grin. Ziva turned and poured him a tall glass of something. Tony peered at the dark substance with a frown. 'What the hell is this?'

'Sarsaparilla.'

'Are you kidding me?' Tony said, disbelieving.

'What? You're the sheriff now Tony, you can't be getting drunk,' Ziva replied, it took everything she had to keep from smiling at the aghast look on Tony's face.

'I just want one beer! No man worth his salt gets drunk off one damn beer.'

'I don't know.'

'Lady, put the boy out of his misery and give him a damn beer. Then someone better get me some more bourbon cos I think I'm sobering up over here,' Franks growled. Ziva laughed and poured Tony a beer, throwing out the sarsaparilla as she moved to pour Franks some more bourbon.

* * *

><p>Four hours and three beers later, Tony sat in the corner playing poker with Franks and Abby, with McGee watching. The saloon was packed once again with the typical Friday night crowd. Tony tried to concentrate on his hand, but his attention kept sliding to the bar, where Langer the sheep farmer was doing his best to flirt with Ziva.<p>

Fortunately for his blood pressure, Ziva was far too busy to have any time for Langer. He smiled as Langer returned to his and Keating's table. Returning his attention to the game, he found Abby smirking at him. Franks just sighed and tossed back another shot of bourbon. McGee was as usual, completely clueless.

'You're pathetic Tony,' Abby told him with a grin.

'That's Sheriff DiNozzo to you,' Tony replied as he folded his hand.

'Whoever the hell you are, you should get outside. You got some trouble brewing,' Franks remarked. Everyone's attention turned to watch Brian's friends dismounting out the front of the saloon. Tony tensed and stood up quickly.

'McGee, run on down to the telegraph office, have them inform Gibbs that our suspects have made their move.'

'Suspects?' Abby repeated.

'Ongoing case, can't talk right now,' Tony replied as he left their table. McGee shrugged at Abby as he left through the back door for the telegraph office.

'Can I help you boys?' Tony asked, stepping outside.

'Oh hey, Deputy. We were just about to take our leave of this joint, thought we'd say goodbye to all the dear friends we made here,' one of them informed him, glancing behind Tony.

'It's Sheriff DiNozzo today, not Deputy.'

'Sheriff? So that old coot Gibbs, he dead or something? Because you know, that'd save me at least one bullet,' Another one growled.

'Out of town actually.'

'Well, we'll just have to settle for you and the pretty lady.'

'You're gonna have to kill me before I let you anywhere near her.'

'That's kinda the plan, Sheriff.'

'Afraid you'll need to deal with us first as well,' Franks remarked, as he and Dunham stepped outside, followed shortly by a nervous looking Langer, Keating, and Palmer. Three or four other men also stepped outside, most armed. Keating and Palmer weren't, but Tony really hoped this wouldn't end in a shootout.

'But really, I can take care of myself,' Ziva informed them as she stepped outside, her shotgun in hand.

Brian's friends scowled, before making the decision to remount their horses. 'You're all gonna burn in hell,' one of them shot back before they left. The men slowly trickled back inside, leaving just Tony and Ziva to watch the dust settle back.

'Sheriff DiNozzo saves the day,' Tony chuckled.

'Sheriff DiNozzo and half my clientele,' Ziva corrected. 'Why would they do that?'

'Guess people are warming up to you, Ziva.'

'Really?'

'No,' Tony replied with a grin. Ziva rolled her eyes and stalked back inside, he jogged to catch up. Leaning over the bar to speak to her without being overheard 'But then, me, I'm positively hot for you.'

* * *

><p>By Saturday of that week, Gibbs was still out of town, after Tony had sent him a second telegram confirming that Brian's gang had departed without too much hassle. As was his custom on Saturday afternoons, Tony found himself in front of Gibbs's house, prepared for a long night of drinking and poker with Abby.<p>

Tony rounded the side of the house, heading for the back door, and stopped dead with his hand halfway to the doorknob. Abby and McGee. Well, he was quite certain that the tall man with McGee's brown hair, who had Abby's hands on the back of his neck was McGee. Tony couldn't think of anyone else matching that description that he reckoned Abby would kiss like that.

He was going to be sick.

Tony just stood there and stared. He didn't know if he wanted to run back around to the front and knock or just barge in there and drag McGee off her. He stopped and asked himself a question that had been occurring to him rather a lot over the last week. What would Gibbs do?

'Okay, that's enough of that,' he called out, pulling the screen door open. It was actually rather comical watching the pair push apart, staring at him.

'You're early Tony!' Abby cried, she turned to the clock on the wall. 'Oh wait, is that the time already?'

Tony felt something near his temple twitch, he turned to McGee, who wore an annoyingly smug expression. Tony knew immediately what he had to do. 'Timothy McGee, I'm arresting you for public indecency, put your hands out,' Tony ordered, pulling out his handcuffs.

McGee gaped and Abby scowled. 'Public indecency? It's my kitchen, there's no one around.'

'I'm around, and I'm suitably appalled, if I'd be anyone else I'd be running to myself and ordering me to do something about this shocking display.'

'Like you're any better,' Abby retorted. 'Filthy hypocrite.'

Tony grinned and gave a shrug, 'come on McGee, don't make this harder than it already is.'

'This is a joke, right?' McGee asked. 'I'm a lawyer, I know this can't be serious.'

'Does this look funny to you McGee?' Tony asked, pulling out his gun. McGee paled and stuck his hands out. Tony gave a satisfied smile and cuffed the younger man.

'Sorry Abs, won't be able to play poker tonight, important sheriff's business to see to,' Tony called as he dragged McGee out the door.

* * *

><p>Tony put McGee in the cell behind Gibbs's desk. Re removed his jacket and sat down with a sigh.<p>

'Are you going to remove the cuffs?' McGee asked, holding up his hands, Tony frowned and shook his head.

'We need to talk about what I just witnessed McGee.'

'Not your business,' McGee replied, rather defiant for a man in a jail cell wearing hand cuffs. Tony chuckled.

'Wrong damn answer.'

'Okay, how is what I do with Abby any of your business?' McGee snapped.

'Abby doesn't have much in the way of family, and Gibbs is out of town. I have to commend you, you picked a great time to make your move. Because if that had been Gibbs who saw what I did? You'd already be dead.'

'I thought he liked me,' McGee replied in a small voice.

'Maybe because he's never seen you molesting her yet!'

'Molesting? Wha- I... Abby was a very willing participant, there was no molesting going on,' McGee replied, annoyed. Tony shuddered at the thought of Abby's willing participation.

'I don't care what Abby's willing to do with you. You will do things properly with her, or I'll string you up by your intestines.'

'I have been Tony. You know how long I've been keen on her. Today was the first time we've ever been... uh,' McGee paused, trying to think of a word that wouldn't tempt Tony into shooting him.

'Don't say it,' Tony told him with a shake of his head. 'I really don't need the mental portrait.'

'Fine.' Mgcee replied. 'Now you've done the whole talk, can you let me out?'

'Uh, no. I think to really enforce the message I'll just let you sit there for a few hours.' Tony told him, and with a smirk the acting sheriff spun his chair around and pulled out his deck of cards.

'What the hell is McGee doing in my jail cell?' Gibbs demanded, appearing from nowhere, Tony dropped his cards and spun around. He could tell Gibbs the truth and watch the older man kill the lawyer, or he could lie.

'Well see, I er...' McGee trailed off, shooting Tony a panicked look.

'Mr McGee asked to be locked up, Gibbs,' Tony jumped in.

'I did?' McGee found his voice.

'In order for him to gain an understanding of the law from the perspective of any criminal...'

'Allegedly criminal' McGee interrupted.

'Right, any allegedly criminal clients he has and as the Acting Sheriff I decided to oblige and ow!' Tony stopped and rubbed his head where Gibbs had just smartly whacked. 'What was that for?'

'Let him go,' Gibbs scowled. 'Been gone a week and I want to head home to surprise Abby. I ain't in the mood for your practical jokes tonight, DiNozzo.'

Tony nodded and moved towards the cell.

'You owe me big,' Tony muttered as he removed the cuffs.

'Thanks,' McGee replied fervently, shooting glances at the scowling Gibbs.

* * *

><p>Tony's deck of cards was confiscated in order to help motivate him to do his paperwork. He sat at his desk grumbling as he slowly worked his way through his reports. 'It just occurred to me,' Tony spoke suddenly, raising his head. 'They didn't leave with the wagon and the guns.'<p>

'Saddle the horses DiNozzo.'

They rode out to the campsite and found the wagon abandoned there. No sign of the guns, Tony again confirmed for Gibbs that if they'd been carrying that many weapons on their horses, he'd have noticed. He then spotted wagon tracks that didn't lead in the direction of the road. The pair followed them.

'Well, this is a new one,' Tony remarked as they pulled to a stop outside the cemetery, the wagon tracks stopped by the gate as well.

'Must have buried the guns,' Gibbs suggested, apparently having heard the same ridiculous stories from Franks as Tony had. 'Look for fresh ones.' They dismounted and split up to cover the area faster, eventually meeting in the middle.

'Apart from Brian's, which is obviously new for real, two other graves have all been disturbed,' Tony announced.

'I counted four,' Gibbs replied.

'That's six or seven all up, depending if you want to include Brian's. A lot of digging, I would have thought they'd try and concentrate the guns in one area. If you ask me, they might have disturbed a couple to try and cover the actual location of the weapons,' Tony mused, Gibbs silently agreed.

'Ain't no way the judge will give us a warrant to dig up seven graves,' Gibbs growled. 'I'll send a telegram to Fornell, it's about all we can do.'


	7. Chapter 7

'Tony, why do you spend so much time in my bar?' Ziva asked him later that night. She watched him grimace and finish off the last of his bourbon.

'Small town,' Tony shrugged. 'What else is there to do?'

'You don't have any other friends or people to spend time with?'

'Well, when I first moved here, me and Abby would spend a lot of time together, but now McGee's trying to get her to take an interest, and the guy irritates me,' Tony shrugged again and held his glass up, Ziva sighed and poured him another shot.

'One of these days we're going to talk about your bar tab, Tony,' Ziva told him as he sipped at the bourbon.

'What are you doing for Christmas?' Tony asked her suddenly, putting down the bourbon. Ziva frowned at the sudden change of topic. 'You got some family somewhere that you're gonna go and see?'

'I will not be seeing my family for Christmas, no,' Ziva replied carefully.

'But you do have one? You never talk about them or where you came from before you showed up here and bought this joint,' Tony didn't sound suspicious, just curious. Ziva figured if she didn't satisfy him with some answer he may well go digging, which was something she really didn't want.

'I have a father and a brother. Eli and Ari. We are not close these days, not since Tali died.'

'Tali?'

'My little sister, truly the best of us all. Although that isn't saying much,' Ziva silently pulled out her own glass and poured herself some bourbon.

'So no Christmas with the family, are you just gonna sit out here with Franks and Dunham?'

'Chad is spending the day with his family, so Franks will have to get drunk somewhere else.'

Tony frowned. "So you're gonna sit here and drink alone?'

'Not all of us need to drink to ease our sorrows Tony,' Ziva replied, gazing at him steadily, Tony looked away.

'Every year, Ducky hosts a Christmas dinner at his house, for those pathetic people with nowhere else to go. It's basically Gibbs, Abby, McGee this year, Palmer and me,' Tony explained.

'And Ducky's mother,' Ziva added, Tony winced and nodded.

'Anyway, it sounds like you fit the bill for this dinner. Pathetic and lonely,' he raised his glass and downed the contents again. 'You wanna come with me to Ducky's for Christmas?'

Ziva laughed and walked away, leaving Tony wondering.

* * *

><p>Tony had high expectations for Christmas that year. Christmas had always been something of a letdown before he moved to Glenside. His father never compromised on the gifts when the business was doing well, then everything fell apart and Christmas became just another cold and miserable winter's day. Now he had a place to go, with people and plenty of food. This year promised to be even better than the last, because now he also had Ziva in his life.<p>

As Tony picked out his best white cotton shirt, and matched it with his best navy suit. He knew that today would be the day that Ziva would become more than just a friend to him.

So with all those high hopes, naturally the day turned out to be exactly the opposite of what he'd been expecting. Apparently Ziva didn't realise that this was supposed to be a special Christmas. He realised this when he knocked on the door to the saloon, to get no reply. After five minutes, he gave up and trudged down the road to Ducky's, to find Ziva already there, sipping red wine and chatting animatedly with Palmer and about piano music. On seeing him, her smile brightened and she waved, but made no move to approach him. Tony gave a curt nod and left the parlour to join Gibbs and Ducky in the sitting room.

And so it would be that way for the rest of the afternoon, Tony couldn't get thirty seconds to speak with Ziva. She flitted from conversations about her travels with McGee, to discussions on rifles with Gibbs, and back to Palmer to talk about his chances with the mortician's daughter Breena. If it hadn't been happening to Tony, he'd have laughed at the situation.

He was not surprised to find he was seated virtually at the opposite end of the table to Ziva when it came time to eat.

After the meal that even Tony managed to enjoy, the party migrated to the sitting room, where Tony got to watch as Ziva alternately danced with anyone who wasn't him, or took turns with Palmer on the piano.

As the sun disappeared behind a haze of dark cloud, Tony excused himself to bring in some wood from the fire. He found the wood box on the back porch and sat down, watching the snowflakes that came into the light of the lantern at his feet.

Tony didn't like this Christmas, it was turning out to be a real eye opener. He was beginning to think that maybe Ziva wasn't as enamoured with him as he was with her. Tony was also beginning to realise just how much he liked the woman. Given what he knew, getting jealous because she danced with McGee of all people was preposterous.

It just made him realise how much he would like to have some sort of claim on Ziva. To be able to touch her in a public setting without causing a scandal, to be able to glare at McGee and have the kid understand, respect it and not ask Ziva to dance with him. When he thought about it, Tony realised he was getting dangerously close to some kind of definition of what marriage beheld.

He let his head thump back against the wall. Anthony DiNozzo senior had raised his son to understand that marriage was a trap a man couldn't get out of. It was a series of doors closing, the nails being hammered into his coffin, the end of life as he knew and enjoyed it.

Tony pulled his head forward and thumped it against the wall a couple more times, to see if it would help sort out some of his indecision. All it really served to do was give him a headache on top of everything else.

'Bloody perfect,' he muttered, feeling the back of his head tenderly.

'Let me guess, you are hoping there is a lump so Ducky will send you home to sulk alone.' Ziva approached slowly, pulling a dark grey coat around her body tightly.

'Sulk?'

'You've been in a lousy mood all day,' Ziva told him. 'Tony, it's freezing out here, why didn't you put your coat on?' she scolded. Tony watched as her hands emerged from her pockets and reached for his. 'They're like ice, what were you thinking?'

Then Ziva did something that made him smile for the first time all afternoon, she pulled him off the wood box, opened up her coat, and tucked his arms in around her, she gave a little shiver as he instinctively pulled her close.

'I wanted to thank you for inviting me along today. I had a wonderful time, Tony,' said Ziva as she wrapped her own hands around his waist in an effort to warm him up.

Tony took a moment longer than usual to process her words, foremost on his mind was how close to her rear his hands were, if only she'd positioned them a few inches lower. 'You're welcome, Ziva.'

'Your hands are freezing! You know how uncomfortable this is?' Ziva complained suddenly, Tony's grin grew even more.

'I disagree, I really like it right where I am,' Tony informed her. Ziva sighed up at him, a funny little cross between exasperation and amusement. Then Ziva leant up on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, and Tony knew this was the best Christmas he'd ever had in his life.

'So why are you so miserable Tony?' Ziva asked.

'You know, I suddenly can't remember,' Tony replied, before he bent forward and kiss her again.

* * *

><p>He couldn't really say why he picked this particular little town. If it had four hundred people he'd be surprised. The takings would be minimal, after his cut the boys wouldn't be getting much of anything.<p>

But then, they'd been running and hiding and skulking all over the damn joint for too long. The boys were getting restless, they needed some action, a chance to let off steam. Hell, who was he kidding? He needed some action.

Glenside was going to burn.

* * *

><p><strong>Shortest chapter to date, but if you haven't already gathered, the next chapter starts us off on the big epic story arc, when one of my personal favourite characters will finally make an appearance. Hope you enjoyed this one.<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

It was another quiet day at the office. Gibbs was kicking back with his coffee and the paper. Tony stood in the doorway, whistling as he watched the saloon across the street, his thumbs hanging from his gun belt.

Sometimes, being a deputy in a sleepy little town like Glenside really tried a man's patience. He needed to get himself a hobby. Especially since he couldn't really see inside the front bar from where he stood. It was damn hard trying to spy on someone if you couldn't see hide nor hair of them.

'Will you cut that damn racket out, DiNozzo? I'm trying to read here,' Gibbs finally snapped, smacking his desk with the paper.

'Sorry boss.'

'Go talk a walk or something, get out of my hair.'

'Yes boss,' Tony said, perking up.

He was halfway across the street when he heard the sound of a galloping horse. He paused and turned, watching as the rider pulled the horse to a stop. Tony wasn't the only one to take notice of the rider's hasty entrance. He was barely more than a boy, Tony suspected he was still a year or two off being old enough to start shaving.

'Can I help you there, kid?' he called out. The boy noticed him and his badge.

'The mail coach just done got held up, about five miles south,' declared the boy in a panicked voice, Tony just frowned.

'Come on then, let's go tell the sheriff what you saw,' Tony instructed. The boy nodded, dismounting his wearied horse and following Tony back into the office. Gibbs was waiting.

'Kid here reckons the mail coach has been held up about five miles south of here,' Tony announced, raising an eyebrow at the sheriff.

'And how did you just happen to see this, and get away, son?' Gibbs replied, eyeing the kid.

'I was travelling north to see my Uncle Joe, Pa says he's got a job for me on his farm. I ain't from around these parts mister, all I know is there's a stage being robbed.' The boy replied in earnest. Tony glanced over at Gibbs, whose face was an impassive mask.

'Well, we need to check it out then,' Gibbs finally spoke, Tony nodded and headed around the back to the stables. Gibbs picked out half a dozen men hanging around town and told them to join him in the pursuit. Five minutes later, they were saddled up and riding back around the front. Gibbs looked down at the kid. 'I need you to wait here, we'll take your statement when we get back.'

As they rode out of town, Tony glanced over at Gibbs. 'I thought the mail coach didn't come for three more days.'

'It doesn't.'

'Then why are we leaving?' Tony asked, sure, he was relatively new to the whole lawman business, but Gibbs's actions just didn't make sense.

'Does the spider sit in the middle of its web, waiting for the fly? No, it hides,' it wasn't Gibbs who answered, but the storekeeper, Leon Vance, who looked over and winked at Tony.

Ten minutes later, five horsemen rode in from the north of the town, the boy led his horse out to meet them.

'Well?' the leader asked. He was a tall man, with dark hair, and the scruffy beginnings of a beard covering his face.

'The sheriff and his deputy are gone to check it out, along with six other men. These small town folk are just too damn easy,' the kid grinned, slowly, the leader of the gang followed suit, his amusement evident in his eyes.

'Have at it then,' he waved towards the bank, his men dismounted and drew their guns. Through town, people began to disappear through doors, out of sight. In the front bar of the saloon, Ziva David watched as the leader of the gang followed his men into the bank next door. She wondered why the hell he was here of all places, she was sure they hadn't followed her.

She glanced over at the barman and Franks, who was again asleep on the front bar again. 'Chad, take the back door, see if you can't get Gibbs and DiNozzo to come back,' she ordered.

'But ma'am-'

'Do not call me ma'am, now go!' she snapped, her fears manifesting as anger. Chad nodded and hurried out the back of the saloon. As soon as he was clear, she marched behind the bar and reached underneath, pulling out her shotgun.

Ziva stared down at the gun, wondering why the hell she needed it. It wasn't like she could bring herself to go out there and stop the robbery, and there was no reason for them to come in here. They'd have that bank cleared out and be long gone before Gibbs and Tony returned.

'Pray tell, sister, what do you intend on doing with that?' Ziva stood up, to find him sitting at the bar.

'Ari,' she said in greeting, suddenly very thankful that she had decided to go for the gun.

'Ziva,' Ari replied, smiling. 'I've missed you, you know? It hasn't been the same without you around.'

'I'm sure you're managing just fine, Ari. You did manage to find someone new to lure away the sheriff.'

'Tsk, Ziva. I do not have time for a proper catch up now that I know where you are, I have every intention of meeting you for a proper reunion,' Ari tapped the bar. 'I want to know where the money is.'

'What money?'

'Your innocent act doesn't work on me, sister. Eli's money that you stole from him, I want my cut.'

'That is not going to be possible, Ari.'

'Why not?'

'Because I have already spent it all. I own this saloon,' Ziva explained, Ari looked around him with a renewed interest, before he smiled and returned his attention to Ziva.

'This is surprising news.'

'I disagree. I spoke with you about my plans. Why else would I steal his money?'

'He is extremely upset about your betrayal, sister, and has been looking for you. I doubt he cares about the money, I think he just wants to punish you. It does not look good for Eli that his own daughter would rob him,' Ari explained in his usual polite tone. Ziva had always noticed this trait of Ari's. No matter the situation, he never got flustered or upset. He seemed to enjoy chaos.

'Ari, you should go, before the sheriff returns.'

'Concerned for my wellbeing, or your secret?'

'Both, now you mention it.'

Their conversation was interrupted by an increase in the noise outside, the pair turned their attention to watch Ari's gang racing away with the loot. Thirty seconds later, Gibbs and his posse appeared, making pursuit. Then a horse came back in the other direction, Tony's horse. Ari and Ziva watched as Tony dismounted and approached Ari's horse.

'You need to go now,' Ziva ordered.

'How? I have no horse.'

'Steal one, you're a thief Ari,' Ziva replied, exasperated. Ari glanced behind him and swore, before jumping over the bar and ducking down next to her, as Tony stepped into the saloon.

'Are you okay? Vance told me he saw one of them come through here,' Tony asked. Ziva couldn't help being touched by his concern. That concern quickly turned to fear as he began to look around for the missing bandit. By her feet, Ari pulled out his guns, cocking them as silently as he could manage. Ziva gritted her teeth and placed the shotgun on the bar.

'One of them left through the back. I think he stole one of the horses,' Ziva explained, hoping it would satisfy Tony.

'Surprised you didn't shoot him too,' Tony remarked, smiling slightly as he peered down the corridor to the back of the saloon. Ziva gave a weak smile in return. Tony noticed her nervousness and frowned again, taking a few steps closer to the bar. 'Are you sure you're okay?' Ari shuffled around to a squatting position by her feet. Ziva acted quickly, walking around the bar to join Tony on the other side.

'I'm fine now, but I was shaken, having him in here while I was unarmed,' Ziva replied, as she kept trying to figure out how to get Ari out before Tony found him.

'Okay. Well he's probably long gone, but I'll take a look around, make sure he's not in any of the back rooms,' Tony said in an assuring voice as he reached for his gun. Ziva tensed and grabbed his arm, before quickly stroking his forearm to cover her actions.

'I appreciate your concern Tony. Not just today. Moving to a new town has been difficult, and often lonely,' Ziva told him in a low voice, she took a step towards the front of the saloon, causing Tony to turn his back to the bar. Just in time, as Ari poked his head over to see what was happening, his gun not far behind.

'Don't mention it, spending time with you really isn't a chore. I'll just go check out the back, okay?' Before Tony could turn, Ziva grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her, her other hand pulling his face down for a kiss. It took less time than Ziva expected for Tony to get over his surprise and start kissing her back.

Ziva vaguely remembered to hope Ari was being smart and using the opportunity to get the hell out of there, but she was more occupied by the feel of Tony's lips, and the sensation of his hands in her hair.

'Put it on the bar, and slide it this way,' The pair froze at the dry growl of Mike Franks. Disconnecting, they turned their attention to the bar, where Ari was slowly putting his gun down, eyeing Franks, who had Ziva's shotgun pointed at him.

Before Tony could react, Ziva reached down and pulled out his gun, in one swift motion she cocked the weapon and raised it towards Franks, taking a step back from Tony.

Tony stared at her, in another situation Ziva might have found his expression of utter bewilderment amusing.

'What are you doing?' he finally managed to ask. Ziva fought back her tears of disappointment and glanced over at Ari.

'He's my brother, Tony.'

* * *

><p><strong>Dun, dun, dun... to clarify, Ari isn't my number one fave, that's Tony by a mile, but Ari is in the top three with Ziva.<strong>

**On another note, I'm turning 21 on Thursday. Been pretty stressful considering how much of a non even this milestone is, the legal age for everything is eighteen in australia, so this one is purely symbolic. But we're still gonna have a big ass party on saturday and my mum's still chewing my ear off every night for at least half an hour as she stresses about the same fucking things again and again and again... WHOSE BIRTHDAY IS THIS, EXACTLY? And now my little sister's being all sulky and is refusing to come... bugger the lot of them, just give me a bottle of Johnnie Black and leave the pressies by the door. Feel free to shout me one, or you know, leave a review, cheers.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update.**

'Put down the gun, sweetheart,' Franks growled in her direction. He kept the shotgun trained on Ari. Ziva shook her head and put pressure on the trigger of her own gun.

'You put yours down,' Ziva replied. 'Think about it, if I shoot, you may have time to kill him. You have no hope of getting me too.'

'Then I guess that'll be where I step in,' Tony replied in a cold voice. Ziva glanced over to see that Tony had somehow found himself another gun, and had it pointed towards her. 'Give it back.' He ordered. When Ziva hesitated, Tony took a step forward. 'I will shoot you.'

Ziva pushed back the hammer on the gun and handed it over to Tony.

'Franks, wanna give me a hand over to the jail?' Tony asked. He pulled out his handcuffs and looked from Ziva to Ari, trying to decide who needed them more. Eventually he handed them to Ziva. 'Put them on.'

'Why me?' Ziva asked as she obeyed. Tony's jaw tensed.

'I'm not having you fool me for a third time,' he replied, fighting to keep a lid on his emotions.

* * *

><p>He locked them up in neighbouring cells, and settled behind the desk in front of them. He kept his gun at his hip, and the shotgun on the desk. Ziva watched as he pulled a bottle of bourbon from the desk drawer, a single glass following.<p>

'You really shouldn't drink on duty,' Ziva suggested, more out of concern for him than herself. She knew he wasn't one of those guys who went along with a lynching.

'Don't talk to me,' Tony sulked, downing another shot.

'He's my brother, I couldn't just stand by and watch him get arrested.'

'So instead you pull a gun on Franks. He's your best customer, not to mention a relatively innocent person.'

'I wasn't going to shoot him. If you hadn't pulled that second gun, he would have surrendered.'

'Guess it's a good thing that Gibbs taught me to keep one under the vest,' Tony replied before swivelling his chair around to put his back to her, effectively ending their conversation.

Ziva began to pace. In the next cell over Ari, who had been relaxing back on the tiny cot provided, raised his head and peered at her. 'Ziva relax, Eli will be here soon enough.'

'He's here?'

'I'm meant to be meeting him in the next town over. When I don't show with the money, naturally he will come looking.'

'Eli's coming, and you think I should relax? What happened to, "_He's going to make an example of you for stealing his goddamn money?_"' Ziva half shouted at her brother.

'Well, I figure Eli will get us out of here, because obviously he wants to make an example of you himself, and then you can escape from him a lot easier. It wouldn't be the first time you've give him the slip.'

'Are you two familiar with the Fifth Amendment?' Tony scowled. 'In layman's terms, it means shut the hell up already and let me drink in peace!' Ziva looked suitably abashed, taking a seat at the back of her cell. Ari just smiled at Tony, who tried very hard to ignore how unnerving the guy was.

* * *

><p>'What the hell is going on here?' Gibbs demanded, causing Tony to snap awake and fall off his chair. Gibbs looked from the imprisoned Ziva to Tony and back again. Then he turned to his posse that had four of the other six thieves waiting to be locked up. The issue being that Glenside's jail only possessed two rather small cells. 'Just, wait out there a minute.'<p>

'Hey Gibbs, back already?' Tony enquired, peering at his pocket watch. The combination of dusk darkness and his still drunk state made reading the numbers hard.

'Why have you got Miss David in a cell?' Gibbs pressed.

'Oh, she was trying to help her brother escape, pulled a gun on Franks,' Tony explained. He pointed towards Ari. 'Seems he wanted to talk to his dear sister about all the money she stole from their father. Who, by the way, will be coming to bust him out sometime in the near future.'

Gibbs removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair. He was getting too old for this stuff. 'Well if they're related, put them in the same cell. The four can share the other one. It'll only be for tonight, we'll move them to Rochester in the morning.'

'Maybe someone else should do the prisoner moving, I'm... not at my best right now.'

'I can see that. We'll talk about you drinking on duty some other time, deputy.'

'Yes, boss,' Tony replied. He took a seat to one side as Gibbs moved Ziva into the cell with Ari. The two siblings eyed each other, before settling on opposite sides. The other four thieves were then placed in the second cell. They failed to disguise their surprise at seeing Ziva in there next to them.

'DiNozzo,' Gibbs beckoned his deputy outside. The town was unusually quiet, but then it was a very cold January night. That combined with the bank robbery and the arrest of the saloon owner meant that people could be expected to stick to their houses on this night.

'She played me Gibbs. She used my affections for her to try and sneak Ari past me, and if it weren't for Franks it would have worked too. Then she stole my gun!' Tony didn't know whether he was more hurt, angry or ashamed right at that moment. It had been on the whole, a really lousy day.

'Go home, DiNozzo,' Gibbs ordered Tony, in his usual quiet voice. Tony nodded and stepped off the veranda and down into the street.

As he passed by the Doc's place, he heard a sound and stopped. Out of the darkness stepped Ducky, his thumbs running along his trademark suspenders. 'Anthony, you look terrible. Come inside a minute now.'

'No point Duck, all I am is drunk, ain't nothing new you have to say to me about the drinking habits.' Tony replied in a melancholy tone, his mind already on the bottle of bourbon he kept in a cupboard above his kitchen sink.

'And yet, you continue to do this to yourself,' Ducky replied, shaking his head. 'Come on, Gerald made some of that cake you're so partial to.' Tony paused at that and Ducky smiled, knowing that he had the younger man won over.

After Ducky had him settled in the lounge with a decadently huge piece of cake, he broached the subject of today's events, of which he had a firsthand account from Franks. 'I understand why you are so upset Anthony. No one can deny that you and Miss David were growing extremely close. I believe there were wagers on an engagement sometime soon.'

'Well then I guess a whole lotta people just lost their money,' Tony scowled.

'Was she here, gathering information for her brother?' Ducky enquired, obviously knowing the answer already, but he suspected that the deputy could benefit from a reminder.

'From what I gather, no. Sounds like she left their gang with a whole lot of stolen money, no intention of going back.'

'So she was just trying to protect her brother.'

'Yeah.'

'You're an only child, DiNozzo?'

'Far as my father knew,' Tony replied in a disinterested tone, focusing on devouring the cake as fast as possible so he could leave and get back to his bourbon at home.

'I don't believe this is common knowledge, but I had a brother at one time. Back when I was still residing in Scotland.'

'Really?'

'Well, he was just a friend I grew up with, but I thought of him like a brother. We served together in the war. Until one dreadfully dark night, when our camp was ambushed. I wasn't sure what on earth was going on half the time, but there is this one moment that I keep seeing clear as day. In the middle of the skirmish, I turn around to see an enemy soldier coming straight at me with an impressively large sword. He was going to take my head off, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it. Until my friend appeared from nowhere, the next thing I'm being knocked down by the soldier, but he's no longer got his sword. I was obviously not decapitated, but only because the sword was already trapped in my good friend's chest.'

Tony didn't speak when Ducky paused, seemingly stuck in the memory again. 'What I'm saying Anthony, is that some ties bind us, and they get to be more important than anything else.'

'So what? I should forgive her for tricking me, for playing me like a damned fool? This just isn't the same, Ducky,' Tony fumed, resisting the urge to throw the empty plate at a wall.

'That is between yourself and Miss David. I am simply trying to offer you an explanation for her behaviour.'

* * *

><p>Gibbs sat back in his chair, settling into much the same position he found DiNozzo in earlier. Only Gibbs wasn't drinking because he was feeling hurt and miserable. He had plans for the kid, saw him being sheriff when Gibbs himself accepted that he was just too damn old for this crap anymore. Course, that day couldn't come if DiNozzo wasn't ready soldier through life and all its associated crap.<p>

His internal musings were interrupted by a disturbance outside. Gibbs picked up the shotgun and moved towards the window in time to watch a dozen horsemen ride into town and surround his position.

Gibbs cursed silently. The next time DiNozzo decided to drink on duty, he was gonna shoot the kid. The subsequent whingeing be damned.

Gibbs turned around to bring the ammunition for the shotgun closer, only to stop at the sight of Ari. He'd finally moved from the cot, and was now standing by the bars, smiling at Gibbs.

'You should have listened to your Deputy,' he suggested. Gibbs scowled and grabbed some shells, returning to the window. Something about the guy irritated him on a really fundamental level, beyond the entire criminal aspect.

Outside, the riders had dismounted. It didn't take long for Gibbs to identify their leader. He regarded Eli David with interest. The man's hair was a mix of silver and white, and he was bearing towards pudgy. Certainly too old for a typical gang leader but since even the good ones were dead by his age, Gibbs didn't really find that thought reassuring.

'Sheriff,' Gibbs only glanced back at the sound of his name, but Ziva wasn't deterred. 'There are at least ten armed men out there, yes?' she asked. 'Look, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I know him and his methods. If he gets his hands on me I can expect a very public, very painful death. So I would really like the opportunity to help you fend him off.'

Gibbs turned his head properly and eyed the young woman. He'd had a suspicion that there was more to her than meets the eye since he first met her. And since he had no other options at that point, Gibbs decided to see what she had to offer.


	10. Chapter 10

**Now this is one of my fave chapters, McGee and Tony up to hijinks, ala Inside Man...**

* * *

><p>McGee finally lowered his quill and sighed. If anyone had told him that being the sole lawyer in a town such as Glenside would necessitate working to such a late hour, he'd have scoffed at them. On the bright side, his hard work tonight meant he would have plenty of spare time to call upon Miss Sciuto again tomorrow afternoon.<p>

Invigorated, McGee began to tidy his desk, a compulsive habit of his that he simply couldn't shake. He had just finished when he heard a knock on his front door and frowned. He couldn't think of one good reason why someone would be calling for their lawyer at such an hour. He pulled open the front door and was immediately knocked down. Moments later he heard his front door slam closed.

'McGee! Why the hell did you take so long to answer the damn door?' Miss Sciuto hissed at him. McGee stared up at her, agog. During his staring, he noticed that she was unusually frightened and had somehow procured a small pistol, from where he wasn't prepared to guess.

'What's the matter?' McGee asked as he climbed to his feet and brushed himself off.

'I was just going to take Gibbs some dinner, because you just know that he hasn't eaten yet, what with the robbery and the manhunt, and Tony getting drunk... Anyway, I rounded the corner onto the main street, to find the sheriff's offices surrounded by armed bandits. I saw your light was still on and came here. You have to do something McGee.'

'Armed bandits?' McGee repeated. He frowned and headed into his office, the window of which gave him a view clear down the street. He pulled the curtains open slightly and peered down the street. He did a quick count, seeing six of them, but in all likelihood there would be more of them, watching the rear of the building.

'See?' Miss Sciuto said as he closed the curtains. 'McGee, you have to do something! Gibbs is all alone in there, and sure he's a crack shot, but to take out all those men on his own...' she gave a small hiccupping sob and pulled McGee into a rib cracking hug.

'Miss Sciuto, I am having a little trouble breathing here,' McGee gasped regretfully, if she had just lightened her grip slightly, McGee suspected he would have enjoyed the experience greatly.

'First Mr Morrow, and now Gibbs trapped by all those bandits. You have to do something McGee,' begged Miss Sciuto, after releasing him.

'You've said that three times in a minute now Miss Sciuto, I get it. I'll try and help.' McGee peered outside again. His father had been a Navy man, and naturally taught his son how to shoot. McGee was a reasonable shot, but he knew that should he dare step out his front door, he had very little hope of doing anything for Gibbs apart from getting himself killed.

'Where's Deputy DiNozzo? Shouldn't he be in there with Gibbs?'

'Tony got himself drunk and Gibbs sent him home,' Abby replied, failing to disguise her annoyance with Tony.

'Drunk or not, he'll be of some use,' McGee mused. He turned to Miss Sciuto. 'Stay here and out of sight, I'm going to get help.'

McGee exited via his back door into a tiny little alley. He was immediately thankful for the nearly full moon, lighting his way. He jogged over to DiNozzo's house, which was well out of sight of the main street. McGee knocked on the front door and waited for DiNozzo to answer.

Only he never did. After ten minutes, McGee remembered Miss Sciuto saying that DiNozzo was drunk. He sighed and tried the door handle, surprised to find it unlocked. He let himself into the main room, occupied by a ratty looking couch and many bookshelves which were overflowing with both the classics and popular novels. In one corner was a small and neglected kitchen area.

McGee opened the only other door in the room, leading into the bedroom. There he found the still fully dressed DiNozzo passed out on top of the covers, an open bottle of bourbon on the floor next to one hand. McGee shook his head and grabbed the bourbon, intending to move it out of the way, when he heard a click and felt the cold steel of a gun being pressed into his skull.

'Drop the bourbon and back away slowly,' DiNozzo mumbled, sounding still half asleep, and definitely drunk. McGee paused, trying to determine if DiNozzo would actually shoot him if he didn't obey. Then he decided not to risk it.

'I knocked for a long time, but you didn't answer,' McGee replied, watching as DiNozzo took the bourbon and downed a good portion, before working on getting upright. 'There's a whole group of bandits who have surrounded the sheriff's station.'

'Damn,' Tony mumbled. 'Gimme a hand here, McGoo.'

McGee helped Tony into a sitting position. 'It's McGee, not McGoo. Though I don't know how much help you'll be. Can you even walk straight?'

'Doubt me not, McDoubter,' Tony replied. 'Where's my gun?' he asked.

'Ah, in your hand?'

'Oh, good. Help me stand,' Tony ordered. McGee pulled the drunken Deputy onto his feet but kept his hold on the man for fear he'd fall flat on his face. This time when he took away the bourbon, DiNozzo didn't object. He was too preoccupied trying to re holster his gun, yet continually missing.

Then McGee was struck by an idea. 'Come on DiNozzo, let's go rescue Gibbs.'

'Yes! Onwards,' Tony replied, waving his gun around. McGee sighed and took the gun from Tony, who didn't seem too perturbed this time. McGee led him outside and across the street to the livery barn. He then stopped, and with a quick push, Tony fell straight into a horse trough.

He emerged half a minute later, coughing and spluttering and cursing McGee's name. He reached a hand into his vest and pulled out a second gun, pointing it at McGee. 'Do that again, and they won't find your body, McDead.'

'Gibbs in danger, remember Deputy?' McGee said with a sigh, helping Tony out of the trough. Tony looked down at his clothes.

'We'll talk about you compensating me for the clothing tomorrow,' Tony informed McGee. 'Now, how many of them are there?'

'I saw eight in the main street, there could be more out the back,' McGee explained as Tony led the way.

'You know how to shoot?'

'Yes.'

'But no guns? Even Abby has a couple stashed on her person, McGee.'

'I'm a lawyer, Deputy DiNozzo, I generally don't find a use for them in my line of work.'

'Bet there are plenty of people who'd like to use on one you though,' Tony looked around, seemingly deep in thought.

'I disagree, I provide a service to the community and am thanked for it. No one has ever threatened me with a weapon. Before you, of course.'

'I'd be remiss to believe you, you being a lawyer and all. But you need to be quiet now,' Tony ordered, as he led McGee to the edge of the building. In front of them stretched the expanse of the main street. The sheriff's office was located on the far side of the road, approximately two hundred yards away from their position. Tony hoped that the bandits would have all their attention focused on Gibbs, because if they spotted him trying to cross the street... he was gonna be one Dead Deputy.

'When I move, you follow me without hesitating. We don't stop until we're across the street, okay? Don't sightsee or dawdle, or I might just was well shoot you now and save them the time,' Tony instructed McGee, who nodded in agreement. Tony handed him one of his guns and set off.

It was a tense few seconds, McGee kept waiting for the shout of discovery, and the inevitable bullet in his back, but neither came. Finally he found himself running into Tony's back as the man pulled to a halt on the far side of the cobbler's store. Tony ignored McGee, instead he turned his attention to a pair of barrels sitting against the wall. He pushed one to test its stability.

'Here's the plan,' Tony said, turning to McGee. 'We need to join Gibbs in the sheriff's offices. Last winter I discovered that the roofing above one of the back rooms of the offices leaks rather badly. So we are gonna climb up here, across to the sheriff's offices, and go through the roof.'

McGee just stared at Tony.

'Unless that's too much for you to handle, McLawyer, I can always have you go rouse anyone with a gun to back me and Gibbs up. No need for you to get your educated hands dirty.'

'I'm sorry, I was just trying to picture you climbing on a roof,' McGee retorted.

'Watch and learn kid,' Tony replied, climbing up onto the barrel. Getting onto the roof was no mean feat, even with the assistance of the barrel, Tony had to jump to get a grip on the edge of the roof. From there it was simply a matter of using his upper body strength to pull himself up. He brushed himself off and peered back down at McGee, working to disguise his hard breathing. 'See? Piece of cake.'

McGee climbed onto the barrel as Tony had, he didn't need to jump as far to grab onto the edge of the roof. Although they were the exact same height, McGee's arms were longer than the deputy's. Tony didn't make too much out of the fact that he had to help pull the lawyer onto the roof at that point. He wasn't a complete bastard after all.

They climbed over the building and stopped at the peak as Tony judged the gap between them and the roof of the General Store. He was pretty certain he could make it. Of course, if he didn't, either the fall or the bandits would finish him off. Hopefully McGee would do the smart thing and go for more help at that point.

With little more thought on the matter, Tony ran down the slope of the roof and leapt, half landing on the opposite roof, winding himself in the process. He rolled onto the roof properly and groaned, he was gonna have some colourful bruises in the coming days. McGee followed, doing slightly better than Tony due to his gangliness. From there, their journey was much less perilous, as the sheriff's offices and the General store were joined. Tony simply led McGee over to the offending piece of roof, keeping low to try and remain out of sight of the bandits. The rotten wood gave away easily under his boot, but it was still a tight fit to slip through into the attic space.

'Uh, what now?' McGee asked, after he'd slipped through into the roof space after Tony.

'Well, I think there's a manhole to get out of here. But I don't remember where it is, and I can't see a damn thing anyway, so we don't have a hope of finding it.'

'So what do we do?'

'Pray Gibbs forgives me for this,' Tony muttered, before he put his foot through the ceiling between them. Tony continued to kick at the hole, widening it until he thought he had a chance of slipping through, still it'd be a tight fit. But his clothes had been ruined since McGee shoved him in the horse trough.

Tony dropped through the hole and into a tiny storage closet, face to face with the muzzle of a shotgun. At the other end was none other than Ziva David, who seemed utterly perplexed to find him dropping out of a hole in the ceiling. Tony eyed her and the gun, all the hurt and bitter anger from earlier that day rushing back.

'Tony.'

'What are you doing out of your cell?' he asked brusquely, stepping to one side as McGee's feet appeared.

'You think that Gibbs could hold all of them off this long alone?' she replied, lowering the gun.

'Well, I sure as hell didn't think he'd trust you of all people.' McGee dropped to the ground and straightened up, his gaze moving from Tony to Ziva. He frowned.

'Look, can we put our differences aside at this moment? There are more pressing matters at hand.' Ziva replied, frustrated. She turned and marched out of the closet. Tony scowled and straightened his vest before following her out into the main room. Gibbs turned, eyeing his deputy and the lawyer.

'You look like shit, DiNozzo.'

'Well, first McGee pushed me into a horse trough, then we had to kinda break a couple of holes in the roof. This was my favourite shirt too, and it's completely ruined,' he replied mournfully, looking down.

'Why'd you bring the lawyer?'

'Well, he says he knows how to shoot. But I figure if we give him a shotgun it won't really matter how bad he is. I think he's here to impress Abby, personally,' Tony remarked as he crept up to one of the windows to take a look out, ignoring the looks of annoyance he was receiving from the others. He really didn't give a damn right then.

'McGee, that side window,' Gibbs instructed. 'With four of us, we might survive a shootout.'

'Unfortunately for you, that's not his style,' Ari interjected, Gibbs ignored him, turning to Ziva, who gave a small nod to indicate that she agreed with her brother.

'Eli knows that he cannot win this position through a shootout with the few men he has. He will also want this resolved before dawn, so laying a siege to the building is not in his interests either. Leaving him with one other strategy.'

'Hostages,' Tony muttered.

'Yes, good guess Tony,' Ziva replied.

'Not a guess, he's started already,' Tony replied. Everyone turned to the windows. Outside they watched as Eli oversaw his men. Eli had his men stand their hostage up in front of them. Abby gave Eli her best glare, but Tony could see she was scared. Gibbs cursed, in words that made McGee blush.


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm very sorry about the delay on this update, but my modem kicked the bucket two weeks agop and I only got back online yesterday morning. I wish I could say I used my time productively and wrote heaps, but alas... the bunnies were on strike too**

* * *

><p>'I take it that Eli chose his hostage well,' Ari remarked. 'Well whoever it is he's got out there, you know how to end this Sheriff.'<p>

Gibbs continued to ignore Ari. Outside, one of the bandits stood in clear sight, removing his guns and handing them to one of the others. The thief exchanged some words with Eli, before he marched forward towards the sheriff's office. Gibbs had to admire the man's balls.

The man's balls only got him as far as the step leading up to the veranda. There he stopped and held his hands out, as if Gibbs didn't already know he wasn't armed. 'I'm just the messenger sir, don't shoot,' he called out.

'Speak,' Gibbs replied.

'Hand over Ari, and no one dies. You can keep the others,' the man announced.

'You can go now,' Gibbs ordered, the man turned quickly and walked away. Tony peered over at Gibbs, watching the older man think. Tony already knew what Gibbs was going to do, he knew that Gibbs wouldn't risk Abby's life for anything.

'How do you want to play this boss?' Tony asked. Gibbs continued to stare outside at the scene. 'Boss?' Tony prompted again.

'Come here, DiNozzo,' Gibbs ordered. Tony shuffled over.

'Listen, you're younger and faster, so I think you should do the exchange. Now, as soon as you get your hands on Abby, clear out of there, because they won't keep their word. We'll back you up here,' Gibbs instructed in a normal voice. Tony nodded and walked over to Ari's cell.

'Put 'em through,' Tony ordered. Ari sighed and obeyed. Only after Tony had him cuffed did he unlock the cell and pull the man through, putting his body in front of him. Tony pushed Ari forward to the door.

'It was a pleasure meeting you Gibbs. And to see you again Ziva. I hope we see more of each other in future,' Ari remarked smugly before Tony pushed him through.

'Remember McGee, aim for the body with that thing,' Tony called back as he stepped outside himself, his gun firmly pressed into Ari's spine.

'You should not be so angry with my sister, Deputy. I suspect she does genuinely like you. That kiss certainly looked real enough,' Ari remarked as they walked forward, one of the outlaws leading Abby forward at the same time.

'Really gonna be glad to see the back of you Ari David.'

'Ari Haswari. I choose not to take my father's name.'

'Oh, if we all had that luxury.'

'I keep my mother's name because Eli killed her when I was a boy,' Ari replied. Tony was unnerved by the way Ari could discuss the matter in the same tone of voice he'd use to discuss the weather.

'Really glad to see you gone, Ari,' Tony repeated fervently. They came to a stop when the distance between them and Abby became less than six feet. 'You okay there Abs?'

'Honestly I've been better, Tony, what a stupid question!' Abby snapped, wrenching her arm out of the outlaw's grip. Tony pushed Ari forward, his gun still aimed at the man. As soon as Abby reached his side, Tony leant towards her. 'Run ,' he ordered, turning to follow her as all hell broke loose.

The gunfire came from all sides, to Tony it felt like it was literally raining bullets as he sprinted back towards the sheriff's offices. He didn't stop when one of them caught his shoulder, but pressed on. Tony caught up to Abby and bodily lifted her up, her waist over his good shoulder as he flew up onto the veranda and launched them through the front door to cover. They landed heavily in the middle of the room.

'Ow! Get off, you're too damn heavy,' Abby snapped, pushing him until he moved.

'That was too close,' Tony groaned, dropping his head to the floor. Abby grabbed his knee to pull herself into a sitting position, the hand sliding upwards after she got there.

'No wonder you're heavy, you're all muscle Tony,' Abby remarked as she squeezed his ass, Tony peered up at her.

'Is this how you react to getting shot at?'

'I don't know, Tony. As a school teacher, I don't get shot at all that often. McGee on the other hand, I'm sure he's had loads of experience.'

'I have not!' McGee complained. Tony and Abby shot him identical grins.

'You kids done playing?' Gibbs growled.

'Hey, the plan worked. I think we're due for some levity here,' Tony remarked. 'Well it kinda worked, Abby, how bad does this look?' he asked, peering down at his shoulder. He could see the exit wound near his collarbone, but not the entry. Abby gasped and pulled a lantern closer to get a better look.

'We need to get you to Ducky's, have they left yet?' Abby peered outside.

'It's not over.' Gibbs replied, as he too peered out the front. Tony and the others followed suit. They watched as Ari and Eli talked, Ari pointing first towards the sheriff's offices, and then to the saloon behind them. Eli let out a frustrated cry, they watched him as he grabbed an oil lantern and hurled it through the window of the front bar. Within seconds the place was alight, Gibbs swore. Most of the town was wood, if the fire wasn't contained quickly, it could do a lot of damage.

'Patch him up Abby, might be a while before we can get him to Duck's,' Gibbs ordered. Abby gave a nervous nod and helped Tony remove his vest. He whimpered as she tore it up for a bandage.

The same outlaw that had approached them before came forward once again. 'If you don't turn over Ziva David, we're gonna burn this town to the ground, and everyone in it,' the man announced before jogging back again.

There was silence, punctuated only by the crackling, roaring sounds of the growing fire in the saloon. Any second now Leon Vance would notice and ring the fire alarm bell and the town would come to life with the call to arms.

'I can't believe you stole money from him,' Tony muttered despondently.

'To be fair, he never spends his money. I did not think he would miss it all that much,' Ziva replied defensively. She took the opportunity to examine the hole in his shoulder. 'You'll live,' she informed him.

'It's not so much about the money as it is the betrayal,' Tony replied. 'You're his daughter and you robbed him. This is an ego thing,' Tony said, nodding his head in the direction of the burning saloon. 'I for one totally understand why he's so keen to kill you.'

'You do?' Ziva asked in a small voice, suspecting she wouldn't like his answer.

'You humiliated him like you did with me. I mean come on, sheriff's deputy falls in love with a thief? I'll be a laughing stock for the rest of my days. I might have to move back to Europe, and you know how much I hate them Europeans.'

The silence in the sheriff's office was palpable as Tony remembered their audience and his audience processed his words. As far as Tony went, that was one of the biggest expressions of his true feelings anyone present had ever heard. For Ziva it just seemed to make everything feel even worse.

'Ow! Careful back there Abby,' Tony tried to look back at her work, but Abby just pushed his face forward.

'Don't move,' Abby ordered him.

'I will go,' Ziva declared, lowering her gun.

'No,' Tony replied instantly.

'Do you see any other options?'

'Give me a minute to think of one, jeez,' Tony complained.

'This is the quickest way to resolve the matter.' Ziva replied. 'Look, you were happy to give them Ari.'

'This is different. He wants to kill you.'

'I am not a good person, Tony.'

'For the record, I disagree,' Tony muttered. They watched in silence as Ziva stood and straightened out her skirts, she handed her gun over to Tony, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand for a moment. Then before her resolve could waver further, she turned and stepped outside, marching towards her father and her fate.

* * *

><p>Ziva noticed as she stepped off the veranda that she had some of Tony's blood on her hands. She wiped it off quickly before turning her attention back to her father and brother. Eli's outline, framed by the burning saloon, seemed larger and more ominous than she ever remembered him being. Ziva was struck with a rather sudden and inappropriate thought, she should have slept with Tony when she had the chance.<p>

Eli waved his men out of earshot as his daughter approached. Ari stood to one side slotting bullets into a revolver someone had given him.

'Father,' Ziva held her head high, meeting Eli's eye. The older man placed one hand over the butt of his revolver as he contemplated his daughter.

'Ziva,' Eli looked his daughter over with a frown. 'I see where my money has gone.'

And silence ensued. Ari smirked, 'Well, this is fun.'

'Enough from you,' snapped Eli. But Ari's words seemed to have broken the dam. 'Ziva, I cannot say if I am more hurt or angry by your actions. But in the end, I can always steal more money. I think I am rather too old to be having any more daughters.'

Ziva realised with a grimace that Tony had been essentially correct about Eli's fury, proving once again that he could be annoyingly perceptive when the mood took him.

'Which is why I'm prepared to overlook your recent actions, and accept you back,' Eli explained. Ziva stared at her father, she'd often spent time wondering how this inevitable moment would play out, forgiveness had never really occurred to her as an option.

'That's exceedingly generous of him, don't you agree Ziva?' Ari commented. Ziva spared her brother a glance, noting his amusement. At what, she couldn't imagine.

'Yes, well,' Eli turned his attention to the sheriff's offices, 'You will have to prove yourself to me first Ziva.'

'Prove myself?' she repeated. Eli turned and beckoned one of his men over.

'It is a small thing, I doubt it will trouble you at all, given how easily they handed you over to me,' Eli replied as he took the man's shotgun and presented it to Ziva. 'Kill them. You know how I feel about witnesses, I need them disposed of.'

Ziva looked down at the gun in her father's hands. She didn't want to take it, and she certainly didn't want to fulfil his orders. Ziva just didn't know how to tell him that. After all, he hadn't been watching when she'd stolen his money and disappeared into the night. This was an entirely different matter.

'I am not growing any younger, Ziva,' Eli pressed in an impatient tone.

'And you won't be growing any older, either,' Ari's words were followed by the sharp crack of gunfire. Ziva watched the blood spread across Eli's chest as Ari lowered his gun. Without another word spoken, Eli fell to the ground between them. Ziva turned her attention to Ari.

'Don't look so aghast Ziva, now he'll never have to know you were going to betray him again,' Ari announced in a morbidly cheerful tone as he mounted his father's horse. 'I'll drop by for a proper catch up when things cool down. Until then sister.'

Ziva could vaguely hear the sound of the fire alarm bell being rung as Ari and the gang rode out of town.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it, and again, sorry for making you wait.<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**This is the start of a Timmy McGee story arc, no prizes for guessing where I got the idea for the story. Hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

><p>Spring in Glenside seemed to ambush Timothy McGee. He stepped outside early one morning to consult with a client, only to sink ankle deep in a muddy puddle of melted snow. He stood there, with one foot ankle deep in bitingly cold brown water which had been pure in its fluffy and frozen state the day before. He debated if he should even bother going back inside for a new pair of shoes and socks. Sheriff Gibbs was right, he should have bought a real pair of boots long ago.<p>

Tim scowled, cursing his client for refusing to leave his cattle during birthing season. Apparently not even the purchase of his neighbour's farm was enough to draw the man away from his damn cows. The farm was a good four mile hike out of town. Tim suspected that Gibbs might have leant him one of the horses they kept at the sheriff's station if he asked, but Tim wasn't an accomplished rider, he was a son of the city, hence his inappropriate footwear.

It suddenly occurred to him where he could find a pair of proper boots that would possibly fit him. With that he re-entered his house for a fresh pair of socks, then made his way over to Deputy DiNozzo's house.

Tim hoped that Tony wouldn't shoot him for showing up earlier than his rooster was known to crow. The Deputy had been terrifically crotchety lately, for no discernable reason. As such, everyone had been tip toeing around the man to try and avoid his acidic tongue. McGee was no exception, Tony had taken to coming up with increasingly irritating manipulations of his name, rarely using the same one twice. Abby kept scolding him when he complained, saying if it made Tony feel better then McGee should just deal with it.

The only person who didn't pander to Tony's bad moods was Gibbs. But then Gibbs didn't really change for anything.

Thinking about Tony led to thinking about Ziva. Gibbs had acquitted her of whatever Tony had seen fit to arrest her for in the first place. McGee had expected the town to treat Ziva differently in the wake of the revelation that her father had been an outlaw, before her own brother had shot the man in front of dozens of witnesses. But he hadn't noticed anything different.

This led McGee to realise that he wasn't as perceptive as he used to believe. He hadn't noticed that people treated Ziva with suspicion before hand, it certainly hadn't occurred to him that not too many people were surprised to learn that the single woman who owned and ran the saloon was the product of a criminal family. Frankly, McGee often felt like joining Tony in his foul moods when he heard some of the talk, good women like Ziva and Abby didn't deserve such slandering, simply because they chose to work like men rather than marry and make a family.

McGee was a hundred feet from DiNozzo's little shack, when the door opened and of all people, Ziva stepped out. McGee stopped in his tracks and watched as she closed the door behind her, looking around the street, her gaze meeting McGee's.

It occurred to McGee that he still lacked perceptiveness, because until just now he hadn't actually wondered where Ziva had been staying since the saloon had burnt to the ground. Ziva stared at him, seemingly waiting for his reaction.

'Morning, Miss David,' McGee finally managed to get out, remembering all his mother's lessons about manners. Of course this seemed to be the wrong thing to say, Ziva seemed to wince slightly.

'McGee,' she replied heavily. 'I... must go.'

Tim stood outside of Tony's place for a few minutes after Ziva left, suspecting that Tony wouldn't react favourably to McGee knowing what he now knew. Frankly he was beginning to wonder about the cause of Tony's foul mood. If he were in Tony's position, only with Abby, he'd have a hard time keeping himself from skipping down the main road every morning.

When Tim did knock, Tony pulled the door open with an annoyed scowl. 'Cutting it a bit fine... oh, it's you.' Tony grumped, sounding disappointed. 'What do you want at this damned hour McEarly?'

'I was wondering if I could borrow a pair of boots,' McGee replied. 'Who did you think I was?'

Tony glared at McGee and slammed the door closed in his face. McGee stared at the closed door, but before he could make a move to leave, the door opened again and Tony reappeared with a pair of boots.

'Thank you Deputy,' McGee replied, relived at the sight.

'Listen McBook Boy, you need to start using that brain of yours, what kinda damned fool doesn't own a decent pair of boots?' With that, Tony slammed the door closed again.

* * *

><p>It was early afternoon before McGee made it back into town. Just a few hundred yards from his office, the mail coach passed him on its way out of town, and he was splattered with mud from head to toe. 'I just can't win,' McGee muttered to himself as he pushed as much of the filth off himself as possible.<p>

'My, my. Look at you Tim, how's practicing country law working out?'

McGee frowned and looked up at his front door step. There in the flesh, was his little sister.

'Sarah, what are you doing here?'

'Can't a girl travel halfway across the country to see her big brother without the interrogation?' Sarah joked, McGee's eyes narrowed.

'Sarah.'

'It's a long story, which I will tell you. But first, why don't you go and wash the mud off so I can give you a hug?'

McGee changed into fresh clothes as quickly as he could, before returning to his office, where he found Sarah going through his drawers. 'Stop that, client's files are confidential.'

'Who am I gonna tell Tim? I don't know anyone here, and no one at home would care about what happens out here.'

'It's the principle of the matter Sarah, and stop trying to distract me. Why are you here? Your letter last week said nothing of visiting me,' Tim asked, settling into his office chair.

'I need some help, Tim, and being my brother and a lawyer, you're pretty much the best person to help me right about now. I don't know what to do.'

'Are you in trouble?'

'Well yes, you remember Jeffery Petty? I was thinking about accepting his proposal for a few days.' Sarah began to explain, pacing around in front of Tim's desk. 'He's dead Tim. Murdered, and well, there's a possibility that I may have killed him.'

'May have?' repeated Tim, aghast.

'I wish I could say that it wasn't possible, that I was home all night with mother and grandma, but it was a Friday night and the girls and I had just finished our last lecture for the week. We went out, just to go dancing. But Carolyn had a flask of her father's gin and well, I can't remember what happened that night. Only that I woke up the next morning and found blood on my hands.'

'Blood? Like human blood?'

'How would I know? I washed it off immediately anyway, which was probably a good idea. The police called as I finished cleaning. Apparently someone tipped them off that I may have killed Petty. I'm their number one suspect.'

Tim sat frozen in his chair as Sarah began to cry.

* * *

><p>As Ziva left Ducky's that afternoon, she found Abby waiting for her by the front gate. 'Good afternoon, Miss Sciuto.'<p>

'Oh please, it's Abby. How are you? I've seen you coming out of Ducky's a few times recently.'

'It's nothing like that. I have been having afternoon tea with him, he has excellent taste, and everyone else here just drinks coffee,' Ziva replied, failing to mention that Ducky was also one of the few people in town still talking to her, and about the only one she could have an honest conversation with.

'I know, right? He has this stuff from China. Green Tea is wonderful for hangovers,' Abby replied enthusiastically.

'Was there something in particular you wanted to talk to me about Abby?' Ziva asked, noticing that the young woman was more fidgety than usual.

'Yes, actually. But I don't know where to begin,' Abby admitted, and Ziva wondered with a resigned dread if she was about to find herself in a conversation about Tony and his moods.

'Just say it already.'

'The saloon. I'd like to see it rebuilt, and I think you ran it well. But I understand that you probably can't afford to do that.'

Ziva nodded.

'I have a proposition for you then. I will buy half the saloon, and we'll use the money to rebuild.'

Ziva stopped in her tracks and turned to the other woman. 'I would understand if you bought back the land and built it yourself, that makes more sense than this. Why are you really doing this?'

'Ziva, why do you think I sold it in the first place? I can't run a saloon. I have a job as a teacher, not to mention that I just couldn't run something like that myself.' Abby replied, 'I'm not asking for your answer today. Give it some thought and let me know when you decide.'

* * *

><p>Tim spent the day ignoring the issue at heart, and instead worked on calming Sarah down. He got her settled in his bedroom, telling her dishonestly, that he'd be perfectly fine sleeping on the floor in his office. Country lawyers did that kind of thing all the time. McGee would have liked to take her out to dinner somewhere, but the saloon was still a pile of ashes, and going to see Gibbs and Abby would necessitate a reason for Sarah's sudden appearance, and he knew that he was a lousy liar. So instead Tim put his limited culinary skills to work and cooked them an incredibly atrocious evening meal. Sarah at least enjoyed criticising the food, so it did the job, albeit not in the way he'd planned.<p>

He sent her to bed and told her that they could sort everything out in the morning. After the door to his room closed behind her, he sat in his office, and marvelled that Deputy DiNozzo's methods of dealing were beginning to make sense to him. Tim only wished that getting drunk and passing out where he sat would actually help.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning after breakfast, Tim and Sarah sat down in his office. Tim inked his pen and looked across the desk at Sarah. 'Now I need to know absolutely everything you remember about that night, don't leave anything out.'

Sarah smirked at her brother. 'Look at you, Mr Big-time Lawyer. Is this what you do all day in your job?'

'Well I've never actually had a murder case here in Glenside. Most of the criminal element wind up getting shot by someone from the sheriff's department.'

'That's not really reassuring, Tim.'

* * *

><p>Tony sat with his feet up on the desk in the office and his nose in a copy of the first volume of War and Peace. He was whiling away the hours while Gibbs visited an old friend a few miles out of town. He knew he'd probably get a lecture for not doing his paperwork when the sheriff got back, but it didn't overly concern him.<p>

'Wow Tony, that's a hell of a work ethic you got going there.'

Tony lowered the book slightly and eyed Abby, who stood with her hands on her hips, looking inexplicably annoyed at him. Abby had never cared before if he slacked off when Gibbs was out of the office.

'Abigail Sciuto.'

'Don't call me that, Anthony D DiNozzo. By the way, what does that D stand for?'

'None of your business, and what's with the tone?' Tony asked, snapping his book shut.

'I should be asking you that question Tony. I, along with everyone else in Glenside and its incorporated areas, am completely sick of your bad mood. What the hell's your problem?'

'Maybe I'm tired of people taking issue with my moods. This is a free country, I'll sulk if I want.'

'Sulking, is that what this is?'

'Don't you have some brats to go and educate or something? Stop harassing me.'

'Oh, for goodness sakes, Tony. I simply don't understand you. I'd have thought that the company of Miss David would improve your mood and not worsen it.'

Tony slammed his book onto the desk and pulled his feet down. 'What the hell are you implying?'

'Am I expected to believe she's been sleeping under a bush these last few weeks? I doubt I'm the only one to have an inkling Tony. Gibbs has your measure for sure.'

'The man's got everyone's measure,' Tony grumbled. 'And as for what you think you know about Miss David and I, well you're mistaken if you think that situation's one that ought to please me. All it is is insulting to a man. What the hell's wrong with me anyways Abby? What's so objectionable about me?'

'Well you've got the countenance of an overgrown child for one,' Abby snapped in an exasperated tone.

'Be gone with you,' Tony scowled, he put his feet back up and reached for his book. 'I'm a busy man, lots of work to be doing.'

Abby glared at Tony, seemingly planning his imminent demise, when they were interrupted.

'Pathetic, this place is tiny and pathetic. Damn country folk.'

Tony and Abby turned their attention to a balding man standing in the threshold of the sheriff's office. He turned his focus on Tony. 'You there, I'm US Marshal Tobias Fornell. Firstly I need you to tell me where that damn Gibbs has gotten to, then I need to speak with some lawyer called McGee.'

Tony stared at Fornell, he couldn't recall anything in the job description about having to take orders from the Marshals. No, he was a one man whipping boy. He blinked suddenly and sat back in his chair, placing his feet on top of the paperwork on his desk.

'Gibbs'll be back some time later, if you leave your name and your business, I'll let him know you stopped by.'

'Don't mess with me Deputy, I've been riding for the last two days chasing after a damned little girl and I'm not the in the mood for lip from a country boy who doesn't know which end of his gun does the shooting,' Fornell growled.

'Like I'd leave you alone in this office.'

'I have no interest in reading your reports on dead sheep, Deputy.'

'More to this job than dead sheep,' Tony mumbled under his breath as he beckoned Abby to follow him to the back corner.

'Do me a favour?'

'Find Gibbs?'

'Yeah, but first can you stop by McGee's and warn him that the Marshals want to speak to him?'

'Why McGee? I would understand if it were Miss David...' Abby trailed off as Tony scowled.

'I saw a woman go into his offices yesterday afternoon, haven't seen either of them come out since. I think she's the one Fornell chased down here.'

Abby frowned at the thought of McGee hiding in his house with another woman all day.

'This makes no sense, but fine, I'll do it.'

* * *

><p>Abby knocked on McGee's door, resisting the temptation to peek through his window in the hopes of catching sight of McGee's mystery woman. Moments later McGee opened the door a crack and peered out, on seeing Abby he let out a sigh and opened the door further. Abby told herself not to rush to judgement, just because McGee wasn't wearing any shoes. And stood before her in an undershirt.<p>

'Good morning, Abby. Something the matter?'

'I'm not sure. Tony thought you might like to know that there's a US Marshal in his office, who is apparently looking for a young woman. What's all this about Tim?'

McGee paled and his eyes strayed in the direction of his office. 'I can't talk now Abby, I have to go,' and with that, he shut the door in her face. Abby stared at the wood for a full minute before she turned around and left to find Gibbs, and hopefully some answers.

* * *

><p>'What are you doing here?' Gibbs growled at Fornell as he stomped into the office.<p>

'My job. Where does Timothy McGee live?'

'What do you want with him?'

'His sister is wanted for murder, and I've followed her down here. Now, if you'd do me the service of directing me to the lawyer's place.'

Tony and Gibbs exchanged a look, at Gibbs' reluctance, Fornell beckoned towards his backup. 'Sacks, the warrant,' he ordered. Sacks reached into his pack and pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it with a flourish for Gibbs and Tony. Gibbs only paid attention long enough to confirm that Fornell was indeed after Sarah McGee, and it was for murder.

'DiNozzo, show Fornell to McGee's place,' Gibbs ordered. Tony took his time pulling on his jacket and a hat, hoping McGee had enough smarts to get the hell out when he sent Abby. He just couldn't see anyone related to mild-mannered McGee being a killer.

* * *

><p>Minutes later, Tony sat back against the porch post as Fornell hammered on the front door, shouting for McGee to open up. Fornell sent Sacks around to find the back door as he tested the strength of the front. Before he could kick it in, Tony stopped him.<p>

'Deputy, don't you dare think about getting in my way now,' Fornell warned him.

'I was just going to suggest you use the key, McGee keeps one under the doormat,' Tony replied, lifting a corner of the mat to show Fornell the key. Fornell let them into the house, a quick search failed to reveal the McGees. In the bedroom, Tony found a woman's nightgown that he was pretty sure must have belonged to Sarah McGee, evidence that they had packed quickly.

'Well they ain't here, so how about we leave and I'll lock up?'

'They can't have made it far, he's a lawyer right? No outdoors experience?'

'None at all, McGee would be useless out there,' DiNozzo scoffed.

'Well I'll talk to the sheriff about organising a search party.'

* * *

><p>Tony was bone tired and extremely annoyed by the time Gibbs let him go home late that night. His only thoughts were on whether he could convince Ziva to give him a massage. As it was, tomorrow he'd be a walking bruise and it looked likely to be another long day in the saddle, searching for that little shit McGee and his damn sister.<p>

Only, when he stepped inside his cabin, he found it more populated than he'd have liked. Sitting at the kitchen table with Ziva was Tim McGee, and a young woman who could only be his sister, Sarah.

'Y'know, I've spent the last twelve hours looking for you, and it honestly never occurred to me to look here,' Tony remarked, his arms folded as he glared down at Tim.

'My sister's innocent Tony, I just need some time to prove it. Make a case for her defence.'

'I hope you've made lots of progress. And you better not have touched my damn bourbon.'

'I was wondering if you could lend a hand. Has the Marshal shared any of the evidence he has against Sarah with you and Gibbs?'

'Course not,' Tony scoffed. 'McGee, you know full well that if you want to see his evidence, you would have to let your sister surrender to the Marshals. They'd be obliged to share their case before the trial. If Sarah's innocent, you should be able to prove it.'

'I can't take that risk Tony,' McGee replied. Tony sighed and walked into the kitchen to pour himself some bourbon. McGee frowned and followed. 'I know you're probably obliged to turn her in, due to the job and all. If you do, there's no guarantee I won't tell people about you and Ziva. I gather it's something you'd rather keep private.'

'What is it that you think you know? Think before you speak McFoolish, because if I shoot you, I could easily pass it off as self defence in the course of a home invasion.'

'I've known for a couple of days Tony. Remember when I borrowed those boots? I saw Ziva leaving yours that morning. Seemed obvious in hindsight.'

Tony glared at the lawyer. 'That's no one's business McGee. And I don't appreciate you trying to blackmail me, when I'm the reason your sister ain't already in prison. Who do you think sent Abby to warn you that the Marshals were on their way?'

'Then we should agree that it's to both our benefit that no one knows we're here,' McGee replied obstinately. 'Are you going to help me with the case?'

'Why are you even here? Why didn't you seek Gibbs and your lady's help?'

'I figured since he's the sherriff, he would turn her in.'

'And what? I'm just a deputy so I don't give a damn? Tony DiNozzo likes to joke around, so he doesn't care about his job, he wouldn't mind getting the sack.'

'Mostly I was thinking that you're something of a friend, and I need a friend.'

'Next time, lead with the friend thing, McGee.'

'Okay, so are you going to help me with this or not?'

'What, right now? McGee, do you remember me saying something about spending twelve hours in a saddle today? Isn't that more time on a horse than you've spent in your entire life?'

'What's your point?'

'I'm tired, and grumpy. I already told you that they didn't tell me anything. Without any inside information I'm no use to you. So if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. I'm hoping Ziva will reward me for putting you up and give me a massage. The spare linens are in the cupboard over there.'

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I'm a lousy human being. First I don't update for two weeks, then I give you a filler chapter. But I promise, next chapter will have massages, and some other stuff that I'm not at liberty to disclose right now.<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**We have massages and the awesomeness that is McGee in this chapter. I hate writing pure casefic, so you better damn well enjoy it.**

* * *

><p>Tony buried his face into his pillow to muffle his contented moan. He felt Ziva lean forward and press a kiss to the back of his head. 'You like that?' she asked, a smile in her voice.<p>

'I must be dead, because this feels like heaven,' Tony replied. Feeling sufficiently relaxed and tenderised, he made to roll over and thank her properly. Ziva stopped him with a hand to the shoulder blade.

'Not with people in the next room Tony,' she murmured in the same soft voice.

'Well if you insist... ah, excellent,' he sighed as she resumed the massage. 'To think Abby said I was too good for you,' Tony said in a teasing voice.

Ziva's eyes narrowed and she pinched a tendon in his shoulder.

Tony whimpered. 'Argh! No, I surrender. Please stop.'

'If you insist,' Ziva replied, climbing off of his back and onto her side of the bed.

Tony rolled over onto his back. It didn't initially occur to him that something was wrong, until he realised that not only was he alone on his side of the bed, but that he also had his fair share of quilts. He didn't quite understand how it worked, but Ziva always managed to steal his space and the quilts.

'I can hear you thinking from over here.'

'It's nothing, go to sleep.'

'Are you worried because McGee knows about us? That can be dealt with easily.'

'Did Abby really say I wasn't good enough for you?' Ziva asked, rolling over to see his face. Tony paused, he realised that Ziva had taken his joke more literally than he'd intended.

'No. Actually, I think she said I wasn't good enough for you. But I think she was joking too, because I'm not an overgrown child.'

Ziva didn't reply, causing Tony to frown.

'You don't agree with her, do you? Sweetheart, this is the bit where you deny it vehemently.'

'Tony, actions have consequences.'

'What the hell does that mean?'

'You act immature, people will think that of you,' Ziva said in an exasperated voice. 'Don't play dumb with me, you know what I mean.'

'So to clarify, you don't think I'm an overgrown child?' Tony asked, giving Ziva his best confused face. Ziva sighed and pulled Tony closer, pressing against him as one hand ran up his thigh.

'Where it counts, you're definitely a man.'

Tony grinned as he pushed in for a searing kiss. He hooked a leg over her hips and pulled her closer, his other hand tangled into her hair, directing Ziva to where he wanted her. Much too soon for both their liking, Ziva pulled away.

'McGee's still in the next room,' she reminded him, he gave a sigh.

'What if I promised to be really quiet?'

'You might be able to manage that, but we both know I won't,' Ziva whispered into his ear, her breath tickled him.

Tony scowled, 'I'm gonna kill him.'

* * *

><p>'This is useless, we're not going to figure out what happened by just sitting here and going over the same facts again and again,' Sarah complained, scowling at her brother.<p>

'You're innocent, which by definition means that someone else is guilty okay? We need to figure out who that person is,' McGee explained for what felt like the thousandth time.

'To do that, we need to find out what I don't know. We can't do that sitting in your friend's damn kitchen all day long!' Sarah snapped.

Before Tim could even open his mouth to reply, the door slammed open and Fornell appeared, his gun out and directed towards them. Sacks, Gibbs and Tony followed him inside.

'Sarah McGee, you are under arrest for murder. And Timothy McGee, I'm thinking Obstruction of Justice,' Fornell announced with a smile. As Sacks moved forward to slap cuffs on the pair of them, McGee shot a stricken look at Tony.

'How'd you know we were here?'

'Anonymous tip was left at the boarding house where I'm staying. Guess you were lucky that DiNozzo ended up sleeping at the sheriff's offices last night, gave you a few more hours of freedom,' Fornell explained happily. As Fornell dragged him out of the house, he stared at Tony in confusion. Sacks followed with a terrified Sarah.

* * *

><p>Tony sat outside the sheriff's offices as Fornell attempted to question the McGees. Ziva walked up and joined him on the bench. 'Everyone is talking about it. Anonymous tip, you're lucky that Fornell is content to have his prisoner and has not put any thought into this tip,' Ziva muttered with a scowl. 'Why did you do that Tony?'<p>

'I arrested you, didn't I?' Tony replied. 'I mean, of course I was going to turn McGee in. He was an idiot to think otherwise, considering the evidence. Obviously the kid's judgement is affected, it being his sister and all. Which is why I had to do this, the trial process will be much better for Sarah than this running business,' Tony explained, sounding as if he'd like to try and convince himself as well.

'Why didn't Fornell arrest you as well?'

'I told him I slept here last night, trying to catch up on the day's paperwork,' replied Tony. 'Obviously you were safe, because no one knows you are living with me.'

'Temporarily,' Ziva clarified. Tony's jaw tightened and his hands clenched as he glared out at the main street.

'And you'll never let me forget it.'

* * *

><p>Inside, Fornell gave up trying to question the McGees. Tim refused to speak to him, and before Sarah could speak, Tim would order her not to say anything. In the end, he stood and declared that he and Sacks were going to search their things for clues, leaving the McGees in Gibbs' custody.<p>

Gibbs sat behind his desk eyeing them, the stony silence radiating from their separate cells. 'I'm sorry for this Gibbs, for giving you the run around yesterday.'

'I don't care about that, Tim. Why didn't you come to me for help?'

'You're the lawman, Sheriff. When Fornell came into town with that warrant, you had a duty to arrest me.'

'No, why didn't you come to me from the start? When your sister first showed up. Being the sheriff's not about making arrests and solving murders. It's about protecting the town and its people. I could have helped you.'

'You can't do anything now?'

'Now you're both in custody, and tonight he's gonna leave for the city. You'll be out of my jurisdiction and there's nothing I can do about that McGee.'

'So I'm one of your people now? Does that mean I'm not the city boy lawyer anymore?' McGee asked.

Gibbs almost smiled.

* * *

><p>McGee fiddled with one of the buttons on his best waistcoat out of nervous habit. 'Remember, you stick to my plan Sarah, no losing your temper at the other lawyer and saying things,' McGee muttered.<p>

Sarah gave an exasperated sigh. 'Say that again and I really will be guilty of a homicide.'

'Can you not joke? You're on trial for murder, and this will be my last case before I'm disbarred, it's just fortunate that the bar association is dragging their feet on the inquiry,' McGee snapped back.

'Tim, you said if all goes to plan, you'll probably be able to get the charges dismissed before I have to testify. So worry about your role, not mine,' Sarah replied.

'Detective Archer, as the investigator into the murder of Jeffery Petty, you chose my sister, Miss Sarah McGee, to be the culprit for his murder-'

'Objection! Detective Archer did not choose Miss McGee, she was found to be the culprit by weight of evidence,' the prosecutor cried.

'I have no objection to that your honour, the remark is withdrawn,' McGee replied, hoping that placating the prosecution now would get the man off his back later. 'Okay, the weight of evidence Detective Archer. What evidence had you compiled at the time that you first knocked on her door, dragged her down to the station and proceeded to accuse her of murdering a man that at one time she had thought to marry?'

'I'd spoken with Mr Petty's current fiancé, a Miss Heather Vanstone. The lady came into the station upon hearing of the man's death and told me that I should suspect Miss McGee. She showed me three letters written by Miss McGee to Mr Petty. These letters are in evidence obviously, and they do contain death threats against Mr Petty by Miss McGee,' explained Archer in an almost bored voice. McGee gritted his teeth, his sister's life was on the line and this man was bored.

'So you have testimony from a woman who clearly has a bias in this case, and three letters, all of which date to over six months before the murder. Did you have any physical evidence that tied her to the crime? Bloodied clothes and the like?'

'Not initially. It was not until after Miss McGee ran that we searched the house and found the dress she wore that night. It has blood on it. It's over there, also in evidence,' Detective Archer smirked. Tim approached the evidence and lifted up the dress.

'I'd like the jury to look closely at the blood on the dress, where it's located,' McGee explained. 'Now Detective, Jeffery Petty was stabbed in the stomach once, fatally. From what I'm told, these wounds bleed a lot, the murderer would have had an impossible task to avoid being bloodied in the attack. If we overlook for one moment, how my tiny sister was even capable of overpowering a larger man and stabbing him, without incurring an injury of her own, why is there not more blood on this dress?'

The detective stared back at McGee with a doleful expression. 'Perhaps she was behind him and wrapped her arms around to stab Mr Petty.'

'Mr Petty was six feet tall, a big guy by all accounts, I don't think anyone in this room can really envisage my sister being physically capable of murdering Mr Petty in that such manner.'

'Maybe she was fast, got out of the way of the blood. And say Mr Petty was drunk off his ass, too incapacitated to defend himself against a surprise attack from someone he didn't think he had reason to fear.'

'I'd say if my sister has written the man death threats, then Mr Petty would have had ample reason to fear her, especially since you have now charged her with the man's murder, don't you agree?' McGee turned to the judge before Archer could reply. 'I'm finished with this witness, your honour.'

* * *

><p>The McGee's then sat through the testimony from Heather Vanstone. Sarah scowled at the other woman, who eyed Sarah disdainfully as she informed the court that she had watched Sarah kill her fiancé. McGee steeled himself, he knew that this cross examination would likely decide his sister's fate.<p>

'Defence, your witness,' the judge rumbled sleepily, looking bored stiff and half asleep. McGee stood and straightened his waistcoat.

'Miss Vanstone, you testified that after a few drinks and some dancing after your final college class of the day, yourself, my sister and a few other girls passed Mr Petty in the street. Miss McGee then dragged Petty into a side alley and begged for him to break your engagement and take back up with her. When Mr Petty refused, my sister stabbed him and ran.'

'Yes, that is what happened Mr McGee. I know it must be hard on you to believe such evil of your family.'

'The medical examiner found that Mr Petty died at around eleven pm of that night, however you did not report the murder to the police until the next morning. Why is that?'

'The precinct was closed, there was no one to report to.'

'That's not the case Miss Vanstone, the police maintain hours at all times.'

'I didn't not know that. If I had, I would have reported Jeffery's death much sooner. I assure you.'

'You also state that my sister asked Mr Petty to resume their engagement in favour of your own. Obviously you are familiar with the letters my sister wrote to Mr Petty, in which she threatens her life?'

'Yes, I gave them to the detective myself.'

'Are you aware of why my sister threatens Mr Petty in these letters? Her exact reasoning?' McGee asked, Miss Vanstone blushed and looked down at her hands.

'Some absurd claims, completely false.'

'Since you won't answer the question, allow me to. My sister accused Mr Petty of being unfaithful,' McGee clarified. 'Sarah writes that she knew of his affair with another woman because she saw it with her own two eyes, and indeed knew the woman, having considered her a friend. That woman was you, Miss Vanstone.'

'As I said, it is complete fabrication.'

'It doesn't help your argument given that Mr Petty proposed to you a month after my sister broke off their engagement.'

'We fell in love while I consoled Mr Petty.'

'It's an impressively short timeline Miss Vanstone, but then you were in love. I suppose it happens, I believe Romeo and Juliet married inside of a week of meeting one another.'

'Yes, exactly.'

'Why would my sister beg for Mr Petty to take her back when Sarah was so adamant that Jeffery had been unfaithful? My sister is an attractive girl, she was doing well in her college classes, I daresay she could have found another man in time.'

'Sarah has a bitter disposition, people who get to know her grow to dislike her. Perhaps you did not notice, living so far away, Mr McGee.'

'Is that why Mr Petty turned to you during his engagement, he was sick of my sister's foul disposition and was desperate for some better company?'

'Yes!'

'Is that an admission that you started your courtship whilst he was still engaged to Sarah?'

'No, that's not it at all.'

'Moving on. Miss Vanstone, did you know that Mr Petty was unfaithful to you as well?'

'No, he certainly wasn't.'

'I have testimony from a girl who works as an exotic dancer, who says Mr Petty was a regular customer, right up until his death.'

'She is a whore, of course she is lying.'

'I also have love letters in Mr Petty's handwriting that are addressed to Miss Madison Sinclair.'

'I didn't know about Miss Sinclair or the whore. What does it matter?'

'If you had known about Mr Petty's affairs, you would have had a stronger motive than my sister for killing the man.'

'But I didn't know, so I had no motive.'

'Miss Vanstone, if that is true, then you would have no qualms in producing the dress you wore that night for this court. If you are not the killer, there will be no blood on the dress.'

Heather Vanstone sat frozen in her chair as she thought. Mutters erupted throughout the court, interrupting the judge's light doze, he snatched up his gavel and called for order.

'Miss Vanstone, you swore today before God to tell the truth, think about that as I ask this next question. Is it not true that rather than witness my sister commit the murder, you yourself killed your fiancé, and framed Sarah for it? Is that not why you refuse to produce the dress from that night?' McGee demanded, leaning against the witness box as he stared down the young woman.

The court seemed to freeze as Miss Vanstone's face crumpled and tears erupted.

'H-He told m-me w-when he w-was cheating on Sarah that i-it was only b-because I was h-his true l-l-love! B-but I'm not!' She wailed. 'B-But I didn't kill Jeffery, I-I wanted t-to, it was actually my c-cousin Andrew. H-he stabbed J-Jeffery,' Miss Vanstone broke down in tears as an ecstatic McGee turned to the grumpy judge.

'Your honour, I move for the charges against my client be dismissed immediately.'

'Fine, granted. Bailiff, arrest Miss Vanstone and this Andrew boy. I'm going to have a damn nap, somewhere peaceful,' The judge shot a nasty look at Heather Vanstone as he made his last remark. McGee was already running towards his sister to envelope her in a huge hug.

In the back row of the court room, a balding man sat in between Tony and Gibbs. As the judge cleared Sarah McGee, Gibbs withdrew a small derringer shot pistol from the man's side. 'You can disbar McGee now.' Tony advised the man, who rubbed at his side.

'It's almost a shame, he's a damn good lawyer,' the man muttered as he fled from Gibbs.

'McGee did a good job, boss. He figured it out where no one else could. Although now it seems kinda obvious,' Tony rambled, feeling relieved, when he'd turned the girl in he had wondered if he was right to do so.

'Yes,' Gibbs replied.

'Boss, now that McGee's disbarred, I think you should hire him on as a deputy,' Tony said, his gaze fixed forward as he spoke. Gibbs cocked an eyebrow at the thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Cheers, until next time.<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

Tony often backed himself in tight spots, but he also knew when he was done for. When a man puts a gun in his face, he becomes very obedient. The man in question ordered him onto his knees, Tony grimaced and dropped, sparing a moment to look around the sparse landscape. It was such an ordinary place, such an ordinary way to die.

'I suppose you think you were just so damn clever, deputy. If you weren't so dumb, maybe you coulda pulled it off. Instead, I'm just gonna kill you now, put you out of your misery.'

Tony just watched the man, and wondered when his life would start flashing before his eyes. He was ready for the end.

* * *

><p>3 DAYS EARLIER<p>

Tony slammed his glass down on the desk and grinned at McGee, who struggled to get his glass upright. They'd been doing shots in the former lawyer's office for the last hour. Half the bourbon Tony had brought with him was already gone.

'You are McSloshed, my friend.'

'That I McAm,' McGee giggled, waving for Tony to pour. Tony did pour, but only into his glass. When McGee began to whine, Tony shook his head.

'I have to cut you off kid, you're drunk as a McSkunk. Before you get it in your head to go visit Abby in your undergarments and Gibbs has to shoot you to keep up appearances. None of us wants that.'

'Now there's an idea...' McGee mused, Tony rolled his eyes.

'Here's something to distract you from Sciuto thoughts. Gibbs wants to offer you a job as a deputy.'

Tim laughed, 'why?'

'Well you've been disbarred, so you can't expect to keep being the town lawyer. I'd have to arrest you and put you in jail with your clients if you tried.'

'I know that part, why does Gibbs want me as a deputy? Let's face it, I'm a man of books, not a man of action.'

'Well, we'll ease you into the action, give you lots of paperwork to help you acclimatise from the lawyer world to ours. What do you say?'

'I say I'm too drunk to say yes to anything, except any proposition Abby may choose to make to me.'

'You're lucky Gibbs made me do this, or you'd be dead and buried right now my friend.'

'If I marry her, will I have to stop worrying about Gibbs?'

'Nope,'

'God damn it,' McGee swore, Tony grinned and poured the former lawyer another drink.

* * *

><p>Tony got home late to find Ziva sitting in the kitchen reading some legal documents. He hung his jacket up by door and kicked off his boots.<p>

'Watcha reading?' Tony asked, peering over her shoulder, slightly surprised when she didn't try to stop him. Then he noticed the proximity of her neck and took a moment to breath in her scent, he gave a start when she began to speak.

'Abby made me a proposal a few weeks ago, I forgot about it because of this mess with McGee's sister. She wants to buy half the saloon, the money would pay for the reconstruction. This is the contract she had McGee draw up.'

Tony sat down next to her, 'you're considering it?'

'Yes,' Ziva replied, watching as a slow grin spread across Tony's face.

'I told you it would all work out,' he replied, leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips, Ziva could taste the alcohol on him, and wondered how many celebratory drinks he had at McGee's. 'Now will you-'

Ziva pressed a hand to his mouth, his face fell immediately. 'I'm still not going to marry you Tony. I haven't been holding out all this time because of my financial situation, or because I would just have been your housewife. Having the saloon again doesn't change anything.'

'Damn it, Ziva,' Tony stood again, kicking his chair out from under him as he moved to the cupboard where he kept the bourbon, 'I don't understand.'

'I am sorry Tony.'

'I don't want your apologies Ziva. I want you marry me, I want this to not be a dirty little secret. I don't want you to have to sneak out of my house every morning. I want to be able to touch you in public without causing a goddamn scandal,' Tony told her, his voice rising. He stopped suddenly as tossed back the shot of bourbon in front of him. 'Just... give me a goddamn reason or something. Because right now I can't help thinking you're just using me to keep a roof over your head.'

'Is that what you think I am doing?' Ziva asked, disbelieving.

'It's not like you love me, if you did you'd marry me.'

'Fine then,' Ziva stood and marched into the bedroom, Tony followed moments later to find Ziva stuffing the few belongings she'd accumulated since the saloon fire into a bag.

'What the hell are you doing?'

'Ducky offered to let me board with him when the saloon burnt down, I'm going to take him up on that offer,' Ziva replied.

Tony shook his head. 'No, you're gonna stay and we're gonna talk this bloody thing out. Stop packing, goddammit!' he rushed forward and pulled her away from the bag, Ziva reacted on instinct and slammed an elbow into his face, Tony stumbled back, tripping over a pair of his own boots, he fell backwards until his head made a sudden and sickening stop against the wall.

Ziva paled at the sight of his blood, she pulled his limp body forward and checked the back of his head, the hand on his chest could feel his heart beating, and his slow breathing and she let out a breath. Ziva took a pillow off the bed and put it under his head. She wasn't going to delude herself into thinking that she could lift a dead weight of Tony's size and bulk onto the bed. She finished packing and left the house, casting one final glance back in Tony's direction.

* * *

><p>Tony was forced awake by the pain in the back of his skull, he automatically reached for it with a hand, which was smacked away.<p>

'I'm not quite finished Anthony. Although I'm glad to see you awake, it improves your prognosis significantly,' Ducky informed him, Tony grimaced as he felt the searing pain of the doctor's needle piercing his skin.

'What happened?'

'I honestly couldn't say, Miss David wasn't forthcoming with the details of how your injury occurred, our conversation mainly consisted of her asking me if I still had room for a boarder, and if I had the time to check on you.'

Tony didn't say anything, but Ducky's words were triggering recollections of the details in question. He dropped his head forward.

'For goodness sakes, Anthony! I'm trying to stitch you up here. Don't bloody move.'

Ducky finished stitching him up, and wrapped a bandage around his head. 'So how many stitches did I get? Am I horribly disfigured?'

'Only five. Grow your out half an inch and no one will ever know,' Ducky replied. 'Now I would advise against going into work today, what with Jethro's propensity towards hitting that exact part of your head, I don't want to have to stitch you up again today.'

'He's going to love this, "Boss I can't come into work today because I got drunk last night and knocked myself out, now I have five stitches and I don't want to risk you giving me more."'

'You need to work on that story Anthony, it doesn't explain your broken nose. Which is why I will explain things to Jethro, you need to rest. And no more drinking.'

* * *

><p>Tony slept for most of that day and all night. By the next morning he was thoroughly tired of dreams involving one Miss David, he got himself dressed, removed the bandage on his head, and headed to work. Gibbs was seemingly waiting for him outside the sheriff's offices. Tony grimaced as he approached the boss.<p>

'Boss.'

'DiNozzo. How's the head?'

'I can handle it,' Tony replied.

'I can't,' Gibbs replied. 'I'm not buying Duck's crap. You were drunk again.'

'That wasn't why it happened boss.'

'Yesterday I had to arrest a train robber with only McGee for help. It was his first goddamn day. I don't want to hear your bullshit.'

Gibbs glared down at Tony and Tony glowered right back. 'Go home DiNozzo. I don't have the patience to deal with you and to make that guy tell me where the rest of his gang is hiding.'

'Who'd you arrest?'

'Harrison Kinley.'

'Damn, see there's the downside to being in law enforcement, you could have retired off the reward on that man,' Tony remarked. 'Tell McGee I said congratulations,' Tony turned and began to walk away, but an idea came to Gibbs, he called Tony back.

'I know how to make Harrison talk, it requires you.'

* * *

><p>Gibbs called McGee out of the office, the trio walked down the main street and into a back alley behind the mortuary. There, Gibbs declared that Tony didn't look like he'd just been violently arrested, and punched Tony to the ground.<p>

'Nice one boss, now McGee, aim for the stomach okay? I didn't sign up for broken ribs now.'

McGee turned to Gibbs. 'I don't understand.'

'Tony's going to join Kinley in the cells, try and get him to talk to Tony about the whereabouts of his gang,' Gibbs explained.

'So come on McGee, rough me up some,' Tony urged as he picked himself off the ground.

'I-I don't think I could,' McGee replied nervously, Tony rolled his eyes.

'I was the one who tipped off Fornell to Sarah's whereabouts,' Tony replied, McGee's fist whipped out and hit Tony in the stomach, he went down again. Tony groaned. 'Oh yeah, that was a good one.'

'You enjoyed ratting out my sister?' McGee half shouted in a strangled voice, Gibbs grabbed the younger man before he could advance on Tony.

'No, I enjoyed confessing. I hate secrets,' Tony replied. 'Now we wait an hour, and you can cuff me and put me in with Kinley,' Tony advised them, before he flopped into the dirt. Gibbs frowned.

'DiNozzo?'

'Gimme a sec boss. Bosses. Didn't tell me you had a twin,' DiNozzo mumbled. Gibbs frowned.

'You're in no shape for this assignment.'

'All due respect boss, you're not a fucking doctor. Unless your twin's a doctor? But he's wearing the badge too, so he can't be.'

Gibbs straightened and turned to McGee. 'Keep an eye on him,' he ordered, before disappearing around the corner of the building. Tony groaned and held his head in his hands. McGee sighed and found a seat on an empty barrel.

* * *

><p>'I tell you, that jackass had it coming,' Tony cried out as McGee led the handcuffed man into the sheriff's offices. He opened the cell next to Harrison's pushed Tony inside, slamming the door closed after him. Harrison didn't even open his eyes during the entire scene. After Tony's cuffs were removed, he flopped back onto the tiny cot provided and let his head drop into his hands, Gibbs had been right, he was in no shape for this.<p>

'God! I'm too young and handsome to die,' Tony cursed.

'Quiet,' McGee snapped, some of his very real anger at Tony spilling over. McGee sat in the office with them for another half an hour, before he left again. Tony tried chatting with Kinley, but the man wasn't responsive to Tony's attempts at conversation about their respective crimes. As prearranged, Gibbs and McGee removed Tony under the pretence of questioning him in private, and took him out the back to the stables.

'It was a bust, admit it Tony, you failed,' McGee cut in on Tony's descriptions of Kinley's various grunts.

'I think the idea was solid, we just need to give Kinley a reason to talk to me,' Tony replied.

'Such as?' Gibbs asked, leaning against the doorjamb, his arms folded across his chest.

'How do we transport multiple prisoners? We chain 'em together. That's how I get Kinley to talk. You arrange for us to be transported upstate to a real prison, I break us out and discover that McGee here forgot the key to our cuffs. I say "What now?" and Kinley takes me straight to his gang. You can track us, right Gibbs?' Tony asked, Gibbs turned back to McGee.

'Put him back in the cell,' Gibbs instructed McGee as he left the stables.

'So is that a yes to my plan?' Tony called after Gibbs, who failed to reply. 'What do you think McGee?'

'I think it's my second day, and I want that paperwork you promised me.'

* * *

><p>Tony and Kinley eyed the newly made hole in the floor of the prison stage. Kinley glanced up at Tony, sceptical. 'You want to go through there while we're still moving?'<p>

'Are you nuts? We'd die a horrible death, and I'm doing this to avoid that,' Tony replied. 'No, there's a brake on the rear wheels. I pull it and stop the stage, then we get out and take on those two deputies. Two versus two, and to be frank, the Irish kid is on the scrawny side.'

'You'll get your arm ripped off.'

'Underestimating me is going to be your biggest mistake,' Tony couldn't help grinning up and Kinley as he flattened himself against the floor, his whole arm and shoulder dropping through the hole. However instead of reaching for the nonexistent rear brake, Tony grabbed a string placed there specially for this trip. Seconds after he gave it a tug, the brakes slammed on and Tony was thrown forward, his arm caught on the edge of the hole, his flesh tore open like paper, blood flowing liberally.

'Christ almighty,' Kinley breathed.

'Dammit, that was not part of the plan. But I'm not dead yet, come on,' Tony urged, Kinley nodded and dropped through the hole, Tony following moments later. They rolled out from under the stage as McGee and the second deputy jumped down. The ensuing fight was quick, McGee and the deputy didn't resist and it wasn't long before Tony and Kinley had guns trained on the pair.

'The key for the cuffs,' Kinley ordered, McGee and the deputy exchanged a look. Kinley didn't hesitate, pulling the trigger on the deputy. McGee paled as the man fell to the ground beside him.

'I forgot the damn key!' McGee shouted. 'I left it at the office, but I didn't think it mattered since the prison has a set anyway. Please don't kill me.'

'Oh, we're not gonna kill you kid,' Tony drawled, Kinley frowned.

'We're not?'

'No, I got something better in mind,' Tony replied. 'I promise you, you will love this. But first we need to patch me up.'

'You're a depraved and cruel man. I admire you,' Kinley remarked as the pair stepped back to admire their handiwork. McGee stared at the pair, Kinley resisted the urge to chuckle and Tony fastidiously checked the rough bandaging of his arm, already bloodied through.

McGee was tied up. He was also naked, and the rope connecting his hands looped around a tall cactus plant. If McGee relaxed or tried to move more than a couple of inches, he'd have suffered an extremely unpleasant sensation. 'He'll be a bunch of bones by the time anyone finds him. Now what are we going to do about these cuffs?'

'My people aren't too far away, they can break these for us. I think the boss might even be interested in giving you a job,' Kinley replied, the pair climbed up on the stage. Tony removed the brake and they set off, leaving McGee to concentrate on standing very still.

* * *

><p>It was an hour later that Gibbs finally came upon McGee and the body of the slain deputy. Gibbs surveyed the scene for a minute before cutting McGee loose. 'Explain,' Gibbs ordered, as McGee pulled on his pants.<p>

'It went as planned, but Kinley got impatient when they asked for the key and shot Hannity. Tony suggested the cactus thing rather than killing me too. I suppose he's going to want me to thank him for saving my life,' McGee muttered as he buttoned up his shirt. 'Oh, and Tony's injured again. Big cut on his arm, bleeding a lot.'

Kinley stopped the stage only an hour after leaving McGee behind. 'We have to walk from here,' Kinley explained. Tony grimaced during the process of climbing down from the stage, with one arm tied to Kinley and the other a bleeding mess, he lacked for mobility.

Kinley took the shotgun and Tony the revolver, settling it in his injured left hand as they left the track that claimed to be a road. The reason for leaving the stage behind became apparent when Tony stopped obsessing about his arm began to pay attention to where they were going. He knew these hills, they were almost up to being called mountains. They were rocky and hard, nothing really grew there. There were some mines, but mostly people like Kinley and his crew used them to hide.

'You right there?' Kinley asked, peering over at Tony and his injury.

'I've had worse. I had the plague one time.'

Half an hour later as they negotiated a steeper incline, Tony slipped on a loose rock. Tony couldn't stop himself, falling, with one arm injured and carrying a gun, and the other chained to another man. If it wasn't for Kinley's fast movement, they'd have both gone down. Kinley pulled him back to his feet.

'Maybe I should take that,' Kinley suggested, pointing at the gun. 'Just til we get over the ridge. It's easier going after that.'

'Yeah,' Tony replied, handing over the revolver. It wasn't until Kinley checked the safety and tucked the gun into his waistband that Tony remembered that this man was a killer of deputies, and he now had all the guns.

Tony's nerves kept building with every step he took, remembering the deputy's death back at the stage, the dead left behind from the train robbery. The way Kinley walked around without giving a damn about any of that. They finally made it to the ridge, and when Tony had his breath back (he was injured in multiple places, he was _not_ unfit), he asked Kinley for the revolver.

'You don't trust me there Tony?'

'All due respect, we're escaped criminals, Kinley,' Tony replied dryly. Kinley grinned and pulled out the revolver, cocking it in a very final way.

'Well one of us is anyways,' Kinley replied, levelling the gun at Tony's head. 'On your knees.'

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, I've finally updated. No, I'm not sorry about taking so long. I know it's bad form for FF authors to do this, but seriously, sixty people have this on alert, and most of you haven't bothered reviewing. Really pisses me off. So that is why I'm going to take as long as I like to finish this.<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

'How'd you make me?' Tony asked, wincing at the pain in his knees, he hoped Kinley wasn't one of those types who liked to make a big speech about killing people.

'I suppose you think you were just so damn clever, deputy. If you weren't so dumb, maybe you coulda pulled it off,' Kinley sneered. 'It was the brake on the stage, if you really want to know.'

Tony glowered up at Kinley as he spoke, to hell with dying, he was taking the little upstart down. Without waiting, he yanked the chain linking their hands together towards him, pulling Kinley off balance. Tony followed it up by smashing an elbow behind Kinley's knee. The leg buckled and Kinley sprawled forward into the ground, and thanks to the chain, Tony landed on his back moments later. Tony reacted faster, pulling the revolver out of Kinley's hand, he pressed the barrel against the man's head.

'Now who's the dumb shit, huh?'

'And what are you gonna do when I'm dead? Carry me back to town? You ain't hardly able to walk yourself.'

'Well, what were you gonna do with my damn corpse?' Tony asked.

'I'd assume he would have me cut off your hand, DiNozzo. But I suspect that won't be necessary, I bet you have the key on you somewhere.'

Tony didn't move, but internally he was cursing his bad luck to hell and back. 'Ari. Didn't know you and Kinley here were acquainted.'

Ari smirked as a pair of his men pulled Kinley and Tony to their feet, they began to pat Tony down for the key. 'Obviously my sister doesn't indulge in pillow talk, then.'

'Pillow talk? Ziva's a respectable woman, I won't have you talking about her like that,' Tony replied with a scowl, Ari cocked an eyebrow as the pair stared at each other, Tony looked away.

'I thought as much,' Ari remarked, one of his men reached into Tony's waistcoat and pulled out a key, he immediately released Kinley and cuffed both of Tony's hands.

'Thanks,' Kinley said as he rubbed his wrist.

'Shoot him.' Ari told one of his men, who obliged, pulling out his gun. He fired and moments later, Kinley dropped to the ground, a hole in his forehead. Tony stared at the body and Ari gave a shrug. 'I have no patience for idiots who knowingly lead the law to me.'

'Especially when this lawman will be your undoing.'

'I doubt you could manage that, even on your best day.'

'I was talking about Gibbs, actually,' Tony retorted, Ari paused, and Tony grinned. 'You wanted to look behind you, check if he was there, right? I have to do that all the time.'

'Yes, because you are the village idiot, from what I hear.'

'No, I'm the wildcard. I'm the guy who looks at the reality in front of him and refuses to accept it.'

Ari grinned, 'I sometimes think I like you.'

* * *

><p>'Argh, dammit!' McGee whimpered as he stood in the saddle once more. McGee had accepted that he'd have to get used to riding when he became a deputy, but he never anticipated have to do so with an arse full of cactus spines. When they found DiNozzo, he was going to shoot the prick.<p>

McGee cried out in relief when they found the abandoned stage and Gibbs declared that they must be close. 'We're walking from here.'

Gibbs seemed to be following an invisible line on the ground, McGee had absolutely no idea how Gibbs was doing it. A couple of times, on steeper parts of the track, they came across a bloodied handprint, the sight seemed to spur Gibbs on to increasing their pace.

They neared the ridge and Gibbs slowed, checking his rifle. McGee took the chance to un-holster his revolver, letting it sit slightly raised, easy to draw when the moment came. Gibbs gestured for McGee to climb up about twenty paces away from Gibbs' position. McGee didn't have a clue what to expect when he reached the ridge, but he drew his revolver, figuring it couldn't hurt to be prepared.

The sight that greeted him made is heart leap, he forgot about caution and ran forward, passing the obviously dead Kinley without pausing to check on Tony, who was hogtied and face down.

'DiNozzo? You alive?' McGee asked, pushing the older man onto his uninjured side, McGee gave a slight shudder at all the blood.

'Afraid so, probie.'

'Probie? What the hell?'

'Probationary Deputy, that's you McGee.'

'It's so easy to hate you, Tony,' McGee muttered as Gibbs handed McGee a knife.

'What happened DiNozzo?' Gibbs asked, Tony grimaced.

'Ari,' Tony replied, as if that said it all. 'The bastard got a laugh out of letting me live.'

'Probably saved his damn life,' growled Gibbs.

'How come?' asked McGee.

'I have to take Tony back before he bleeds out, if he was dead, I could follow Ari.' Gibbs replied.

'Feeling the love here, boys.'

'My ass is on fire, if you weren't already suffering, I'd shoot you,' McGee hissed, Tony laughed weakly, moments later he lost consciousness. Gibbs sighed.

'I guess you get to learn how to make a stretcher, McGee.'

* * *

><p>Tony woke up slowly, he was comfortable and could smell his favourite scent, one that had him reaching over for another body in his bed, he came up empty. He grumbled and flopped onto his back, drifting back to sleep. In the corner, Ziva watched and waited until she was sure he was gone again. She approached his bedside tentatively, he'd been passed out there for three days, most of which she'd spent in the room with him.<p>

But he could never know that. Ziva ran a hand over his hair and down his cheek, placed her other hand over his chest, delivering a feather light kiss to his forehead, and left the room.

* * *

><p>He discovered that he'd been asleep in one of Ducky's spare rooms for the last three days. Ducky remained concerned about his blood loss and head injury, so with the help of an order from Gibbs, Tony remained there after waking.<p>

He felt like it was killing him all over again. Tony never saw her, but he knew she was in the house. At night he would lie there and stare up at the ceiling, somewhere above his head she lay in a bed sleeping, or not sleeping, maybe she was pining for him too.

Tony knew he'd messed up, he knew he'd pushed her too far. He blamed himself for being a prig and he blamed her for being so damn stubborn and not telling him what she needed from him to make it work. He did know that he'd do anything to have her close to him again, even if no one could ever know.

* * *

><p>It happened after a week under Ducky's roof. He was sitting at the piano, the fingers on his good hand ghosting over the keys, remembering from the days when his father could afford to have his son educated properly. He flicked through the music sheets and found the only piece of music he ever conquered, and with one hand, played the first few bars.<p>

It was awkward and clumsy trying to play with one hand, his timing was shocking and he's sure the poor old German composer was rolling in his grave. Then another hand joined him on the keys and they finish off the first page, they were almost in tune.

'We weren't always outlaws,' Ziva explains as she turned the page, but doesn't resume playing. 'My father managed to stay undetected for years.'

'I know, I read the file on him.'

'The file is a load of crap, Tony,' Ziva snapped back. 'There was no anonymous informant. It was me. I saw a man I recognised on the wanted posters in our town and I reported him. They followed him to our home, there was a shootout. They were not sure who was responsible for killing her, but I blamed the police. My father went on the run and I went with him with revenge in my heart.'

'Who? Your mother?'

'Tali, my little sister,' Ziva replied, 'I had to help him with his work, in return he let me hunt them down. He always made it seem like he was doing me a favour, but it served him, bound me to him and that life.'

'You found the man who did it?'

'He was a not a police officer, but one of my father's men. He said it was an accident.'

'You killed him?'

'Slowly,' Ziva replied, engrossed in the piano keys. 'You should not want me, and that is why.' Before Tony could open his mouth in response, she fled the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Just a quick one this time. I'm in the process of making decisions in regards to this fic. Summer is not a good time to expect updates from me, Cricket always wins out over doing pretty much anything else. Fuck Dammit, they just lost a wicket.<strong>


	17. Chapter 17

'Ray, Roy and Rivkin,' Tony muttered under his breath. 'It's a freaking circus act McGee!'

'Hmm?' McGee replied, his attention focussed on the paperwork he was sorting rather than Tony's latest troubles.

'The builders Ziva and Abby hired? Ray, Roy and Rivkin? Someone clearly wasn't thinking with their heads when this decision was made,' Tony scowled, McGee found himself pulled out of his paperwork reverie by the mention of Abby, he joined Tony by the window. Across the street, three men were busy clearing out the mess that had formerly been Morrow's saloon.

'Ray, Roy and Rivkin? Seriously?'

'Seriously, look, it's there on the side of their wagon. They have a fucking wagon, McGee! They're circus freaks.'

'Circus freaks, is that the best you can come up with?'

'Off the top of my head, yeah.'

'Tony, you need a distraction.'

'Yeah, you're right. Any ideas?'

'Uh, you could do your paperwork?'

'I told you I can't do it, injured arm ringing any bells?'

'That's your left arm! You are right handed.'

'But the left arm has to hold the paper still whilst I write, without it I might as well have no right hand.'

'How about a paperweight?'

'How's a paperweight gonna distract me from those three idiots drooling over her?'

'No, a paperweight to hold down your paper while you write.'

'It just wouldn't be the same McGee. I wouldn't be able to focus on my reports if I keep thinking about how my left hand should be one that side of the paper but instead there's a damn rock. I'd have to keep checking the arm was there, nothing would get done.'

'And if you're busy checking your arm is still attached every five minutes, you won't be thinking about Ziva and the three builders.'

Silence reigned. Tony finally tossed his head back in resignation, 'you win this round.'

The pair returned to their desks, McGee sighed and rubbed his temple, 'I should have seen this coming.'

'Well yeah, I thought you were smart, what with your fancy degree and educated sister.'

'But, no. I was just so damn thrilled to still have opportunities after getting disbarred. Working with you is worse than anything I could have imagined,' McGee raged, he looked up at Tony to find the man was once again staring outside. 'Not listening to a word I say, I'm just the damn secretary, file their damn paperwork,' McGee groused.

'Like Gibbs would sully the badge by giving one to a secretary, McGee.'

'I don't have a badge yet!'

'Okay, then I'll prove you're not a secretary. Got your gun? Time we did some official business,' Tony announced, he stood and pulled open his desk drawer, removing the revolver and placing it in his holster. McGee complied, thinking that whatever Tony had planned had to be better than sitting in the office for the rest of the afternoon.

Tony led him straight across the street, where he called the three builders over. Ziva followed tentatively, Tony ignored her presence and turned his attention on the builders.

'What can we do for you, deputy?' asked Ray, wiping his hands clean on an old rag, 'something the matter here?'

'No, I don't think so. But see we have a new deputy here in Glenside. This is McGee, and he's a young, ignorant boy who just don't know anything about the job. Now, are any of you boys familiar with the new building code?' Tony asked, the trio gave him a blank stare and McGee sighed in resignation.

'Tony, that building code only exists in Baltimore.'

'Hey! If I say a law exists, it damn well exists, because I am the damn law. That's your first lesson today,' Tony replied, glaring at McGee. 'Now as you can see, this saloon's already fallen to pieces once through shoddy construction-'

'Not to mention a spot of arson,' Ziva added, exasperated. Tony squinted in her direction, she just smirked back at him.

'You will build this damn thing right or I will arrest you on some very real charges,' Tony warned the trio of builders, who just stared at him like he had a second head. Ziva sighed.

'Get back to work. Tony, a word?' Ziva put a hand on Tony's good arm, leading him back across the street and into the sheriff's offices, away from curious ears.

'I'm trying to teach McGee out there, I don't appreciate you butting in on official business.'

'You are jealous, Tony.'

Tony folded his good arm across his chest. He dropped it a moment later when he realised how silly it looked. 'They spend more time staring at your ass than they do working.'

Ziva suppressed a smile. 'And you have never stared at my ass?'

'No! I've been working, well as hard as I can with one arm,' Tony conceded.

'If you've been working, how do you know they were staring?'

Tony glared at her, 'say I am jealous, and I admitted as such. What's it going to change? Nothing. So if you don't mind, get out of my office.'

'Stay away from my builders.'

'I'll go where I please.'

'And I shall do the same,' Ziva snapped back, she whirled around and marched towards the door, Tony snarled and followed, slamming the door closed in her face. Ziva turned to complain, but before she could get a word out Tony had her pressed up against the door with his body. One of his thighs slipped between her legs holding her secure, she gave an involuntary groan at the feel of his very solid leg pressing into her. Ziva's hands found purchase at his sides as his good hand wrapped around the back of her neck.

Ziva met him halfway, her mouth accepting his tongue as he expressed his feelings of frustrated longing, feelings that were very mutual. It was Ziva who pulled away, pushing against his chest with both hands.

'This cannot happen, Tony.'

'You're driving me insane,' he whispered back. Ziva reached behind her and pulled the door open, trying her best to flee in a somewhat decent fashion.

* * *

><p>'So McGee, time to serve your first arrest warrant,' Tony announced as he, McGee and Gibbs approached one of the many farm houses that lay just within their jurisdiction. They'd received a tip that a man wanted for a couple of murders in the city was hiding out here.<p>

'Tony, you aren't seriously going to tell me how to serve a warrant?'

'Well, you ain't never done it before.'

'Tony, I have a damn law degree! I know more about it than you do,' McGee snapped. Tony grinned, he glanced over at Gibbs and saw that their boss shared his mirth.

'Well fine, then.'

'Go round the back, DiNozzo,' Gibbs ordered as the dismounted. Gibbs turned to the probie. 'Go on then.'

McGee nodded and turned towards the house, he found his mouth dry all of a sudden and tried licking his lips. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gibbs pull his revolver, so he did the same. He stepped up to the front door, Gibbs hung back a few metres away as he knocked.

'This is Deputy Sheriff McGee, I have a warrant!' he called out. No one replied to his summons, he heard footsteps though, approaching the door, and then a cry of surprise and the muffled sounds of a fight, McGee raised his gun level with the door as it slammed open and their killer flew out, wrestling with Tony as they crashed into McGee. A minute later McGee was still on the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Their killer was cuffed and breathing dirt as Tony straightened, dusting off his jacket.

'I see your arm's feeling better,' Gibbs remarked.

'That's how you serve a warrant,' Tony told McGee. 'Read him his rights McGee.'

* * *

><p>By unspoken mutual agreement, Tony and Ziva enacted a policy of avoidance. Tony would oftentimes use the back entrance to the sheriff's station when coming and going on official business. Any residual frustration he put off on McGee and anyone who had the misfortune of committing a crime in their jurisdiction. On multiple occasions, he'd forsake the use of his gun in favour of brawling with suspects.<p>

Despite all the time allegedly spent ogling Ziva, Ray, Roy and Rivkin still made progress on the saloon, and two months after they rolled into town, the place was just about done. Some of the back rooms were still incomplete, but the bar was finished and that was enough for Ziva. She somehow convinced Chad Dunham to come back from the ranch he'd been working on, started ordering large quantities of alcohol, and had Abby put the word out about the reopening.

One evening as he walked home from work, Gibbs spotted Ziva sitting outside the bar with a murderous expression on her face, a letter clasped in her hand. He crossed the road and joined her at the solitary table that the builders had constructed so far.

'My alcohol delivery was robbed. They took everything,' Ziva bit out, scowling. 'I have to buy the cheap stuff now.'

'What'll you do about the thieves?'

'Escort the delivery down myself,' She replied. 'If they try it again, I'll kill them all.'

'Just you?' Gibbs asked, shooting her a look.

'I can't afford to hire men. I'll need Dunham here in my absence.'

'Then I'll go with you,' Gibbs replied. 'Come round to the station tomorrow, we'll sort out the details.'

'Most of the road is not your jurisdiction,' Ziva warned.

'Ziver,' he replied, exasperated. 'I don't actually care.' Gibbs turned and marched away, Ziva couldn't help smiling a little bit.

* * *

><p>'Well hell, I'll just call the mortician down here now, have him measure you up for coffins now.' Tony rolled his eyes at Gibbs' announcement of his and Ziva's plan. 'I've the utmost respect for your abilities boss, but the two of you against god knows how many?'<p>

'We're taking McGee too,' Gibbs replied.

'We are?' Ziva replied.

'You are?' McGee asked at the same time as Ziva.

'That's not what I had in mind, the probie's probably more of a hindrance.'

'I'm not spending a week listening to you two fight. We'll take McGee and that is final.' Gibbs shot Tony a look, daring him to argue.

'You're the boss,' Tony replied, marching out through the back door.

'For now,' Gibbs replied, it was too soft for McGee to catch, but Ziva heard him, she schooled her features.

'I have to collect the merchandise on the fourteenth, so we should leave tomorrow.'

'Meet out there at dawn,' Gibbs replied, Ziva nodded her agreement and left.

'Seriously, me?' McGee asked.

'You'll do fine, stop listening to DiNozzo.'

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, Ray, Roy and Rivkin are that Ray, Roy and Rivkin. I couldn't help myself, but if Ziva says yes, the next chapter will be very bloody, lots of dead bodies.<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

Tony sat with his feet on his desk, thumbing through a well worn copy of Huckleberry Finn. He just about knew the story cover to cover, it had been a favourite of his when he was a boy and life after his mother's death was hard. A boy running away from his troubles and having a fantastic time spoke to him. Tony could have stayed in New York after his father absconded, he had a godfather who didn't hold the son responsible for the father's sins, he could have had a decent job in the banking sector. He'd have had plenty of money, in time society would overlook his paternity in favour of his wealth and they'd have shoved half a dozen second daughters his way.

But no, instead he decided to pull a Huck Finn. He packed what would fit in a single bag and set out west, looking for a fantastic time and absolutely no troubles. Needless to say, his plan was a complete failure. The most he could say for his time in California is that he learnt about liars and shooting. He sighed and tossed the book in the direction of his desk. He was too young to be getting maudlin and introspective, clearly he needed to get out of the office. Tony checked his pocket watch for the time, and decided to go see Abby. They hadn't played cards in ages.

* * *

><p>Abby looked exhausted and a little annoyed when she answered the door to him. Tony gave her his most winning smile as he removed his hat, waiting for her to let him in. She sighed and stepped aside, Tony tossed his hat onto the hallstand.<p>

'Five card draw?' he asked.

'Alcohol first,' Abby replied.

'One of them days?'

'I am overworked and underpaid Tony! I'm teaching forty kids of all ages in a classroom meant for twenty. All of the days are one of them days,' Abby replied, the last part edged with sarcastic overtones.

'It's a miracle you're not the one with the drinking problem,' Tony remarked, as Abby poured herself a healthy glass of bourbon.

'Give it time, Tony. If the people in this town keep breeding, just give it time,' Abby scowled. 'You want one?'

'Probably not. Me being the only lawman in town right now, wouldn't be much responsible of me.'

'When's that ever stopped you?' Abby replied with a grin.

'Uh, today?' Tony replied, giving a half hearted chuckle. Abby stared at him for a moment, the next thing he knew, he was wrapped up in one of Abby's infamous bone crushing hugs.

'You're growing up! You're finally growing up! Thank god for Ziva.'

'Hey! You think this is all for her? I can't decide to be responsible by my ownself?' Tony complained, put out.

'Well sure, Tony. But if we left you to your own devices, I think we'd be waiting a lot longer than this,' Abby informed him with a cheeky grin. 'Are we playing poker or not?'

'I don't know, maybe it's too irresponsible of me to be gambling,' Tony mused, Abby rolled her eyes and shoved the deck of cards into his chest.

'We still play for matchsticks, for crying out loud. Deal.'

* * *

><p>'So this teaching situation. Are you doing anything about that?' Tony asked, looking up from his hand. It was a lousy one, but he was hoping to bluff a win by distracting Abby from her hand.<p>

'I sent a letter of complaint up to the school board, but I sort wish I hadn't. Those asses might take it the wrong way and fire me, bring somebody else in,' Abby explained. 'I love my job.'

'You complain about it constantly,' Tony said with a grin as he pushed a handful of matchsticks into the middle, Abby absentmindedly matched his bet and Tony frowned.

'I love the actual work, the job I'm in leaves a little to be desired. But I want to be teaching, Tony,' Abby replied emphatically. Tony drew her attention back to the game by smirking and going all in, hoping to make her chicken out, Abby met his bet without blinking. 'Isn't that how you feel about your job?'

Tony sat there in silence, stumped both by his predicament in the poker game and the question Abby posed. 'I can't say I grew up wanting to be a lawman.' Tony admitted. 'But I don't think I'd change professions given the choice.'

'Lay 'em out,' Abby announced, putting her cards on the table. Tony sighed and tossed his cards in the direction of the deck.

'You win,' Tony conceded, Abby smirked as she pulled the central pile of matchsticks towards her.

'You suck at bluffing, just so you know,' Abby advised him with a grin. There was a knock at the door then, Abby frowned.

'Not expecting someone?' Asked Tony, putting the deck down.

'Only person who comes by unannounced at this kind of hour is you.' Abby replied. Tony stood and reached for his holster.

'Stay there.' He ordered, marching out of the room towards the foyer. Tony cocked his revolved with a thumb as he pulled open the front door. He let the door swing open as he stared at the person on the doorstep.

'Sheriff Gibbs?' the woman asked, impatient.

'No.'

'The Doctor said this was the house,' she complained. 'Can you please tell me where to find the Sheriff's house?'

'This is it,' Tony replied. 'But I'm not Gibbs. You're a nun.'

The woman sighed. 'What gave it away? The habit or the cross? Is there a Miss Abigail Sciuto here?'

'Yes. Who the he-heck are you?' Tony coughed, he'd almost sworn in front of a nun. He hadn't been to church in years, but he was sure that swearing to a nun would send him straight to hell.

'Where are you manners? Are you just going to make me stand out here all night?'

'Sorry, come in.' Tony stood to one side and the nun brushed past him, dumping her bags in the hall. Tony led her into the parlour room, Abby looked up from her bourbon and almost choked on her drink.

'A nun? Tony, what the hell is going on?' Abby asked.

Tony coughed. 'No swearing in front of the nun, Abs.'

'Oh please, you two are drinking, gambling and socialising unchaperoned. One cuss isn't going to change your fate.' The nun replied, Abby frowned and put the bourbon down.

'Tony is like a brother to me,' she replied, hurt by the implications being made.

'But he isn't.'

'Would you like to uh, explain why you're here sister?' Tony asked, guiding the woman into his seat. He took up a position behind Abby's chair. It looked like a show of solidarity, but in reality he just wanted to be able to hide behind his friend if it became necessary.

'I was sent by the school board. I'm the new teacher.'

'I'm being fired?'

'No. The school board decided to expand the school, there will now be two classes.'

'There's only one classroom sister,' Abby replied.

'The school board set aside funds to expand the school building. We shall build another classroom,' the nun countered. 'Now, I was told that Glenside has a saloon with rooms to rent, but the place was closed when I went by.'

'It burnt down a few months ago, it's only just been rebuilt,' Tony offered in explanation. 'The owner will be back tomorrow, hopefully. I'm sure she'll let you take out a room early.'

'I can offer you a room here tonight sister, if that's amenable to you,' offered Abby.

'Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated.'

'Okay, great. Well it's getting late Abs, so I'll be taking my leave.' Tony announced, eager to escape.

'Night then, Tony,' Abby replied, normally she'd have given him a hug, but she didn't feel comfortable doing so in front of the nun. Tony patted her shoulder, as if sensing her dilemma. 'Are you talking to Ziva right now Tony? Or shall I introduce her to uh, I'm sorry, I don't even know your name.'

The pair turned to the nun, who'd sunk into the comfort provided by the armchair, she looked half asleep already.

'Caitlin Todd,' she replied.

'Well it's been something special meeting you Sister,' Tony announced. 'And uh, I'll see what mood Ziva's in tomorrow Abs. I'm not making any promises before then.'

* * *

><p><strong>Well there we go, I've been wanting to bring in Kate for a while but I couldn't decide how she'd fit in.<strong>

**Huckleberry Finn's publication date doesn't quite mesh with the timeline in my head, but I'm taking creative licence because I can't think of another book that was around back then that worked for me. Besides, Huck Finn is a favourite of mine.**


	19. Chapter 19

Gibbs, Ziva and McGee rolled back into town the following afternoon. Tony was relieved to see the three of them alive, and the satisfied look on Ziva's face confirmed that the cargo had survived as well.

'Thank Jesus, does this mean the saloon's back on again? I haven't spent this much time with the family in years,' Franks growled behind him, Tony jumped and scowled at the old man.

'You have a family?'

'Son, daughter in law and a granddaughter. She's a foreign girl my boy met when he was a sailor.'

'I've never seen them, how do I know you're being honest here?'

'Don't care if you do,' Franks replied. 'Tell your girl I'll be round tomorrow afternoon, she better be open or there'll be hell to pay.'

Tony shook his head as he jumped off the porch and crossed the street. As Ziva jumped down from the stagecoach, she found Tony right there in her face, his proximity made it impossible to ignore her own physical attraction to him. With effort, Ziva scowled at the wolfish grin on his face.

'Hi.' Was all he said, but Ziva could hear a hundred other things in his voice.

'Deputy DiNozzo.' Ziva replied, trying to knock some sense back into him. Tony brushed it off as he settled a hand on the stage, leaning towards her, crowding in on her space.

'I really need to tell you something, it can't wait.' Tony murmured, he spoke so quietly that Ziva instinctively shuffled closer to catch his words fully, any semblance of space between them no longer existed in reality.

'Yes?' Ziva enquired, feeling proud of the even tone of her voice. Ziva was not a blushing lady who could be undone by this man's bedroom voice.

Tony ducked his head down, his breath playing across her cheek as his lips moved towards her ear. Ziva wondered what he was going to say, and hoped that he kept it sedate, she was just about ready to agree to anything he asked of her. 'You have a new tenant for the saloon. A nun.'

Ziva rolled her eyes and pressed her hand to his chest, pushing him away as she made her escape. Tony stood there, grinning as he watched her walk away in her form fitting pants. Yes, she wanted him and he knew it.

* * *

><p>In the main street, the middle of the afternoon with half the town out to bear witness, Tony would choose that moment to try seducing her. Ziva growled, a low, frustrated sound that was barely audible. It was missed by Dunham and McGee as they helped her unload stock from the stage.<p>

It annoyed her to no end how easy it was for him to affect her like this. Tony's words had been plain and his touch fleeting but the effects on her psyche were devastating. Ziva knew she'd be tense like this all day. It wasn't like she could call on Tony to scratch her itch anymore.

She wondered if that's why he kept doing it. Did he know how she was affected by him? That the only cure was one she had rejected herself. Was this Tony's way of punishing her for her choices? Sometimes Ziva wished he'd be bitter and hateful instead. Having him act like she was forgiven for ruining what they had was driving her insane.

* * *

><p>'I'd like to make a toast,' Tony declared, pulling himself to his feet as Dunham poured him another beer. Only his third for the night Ziva noted, a quiet one for him. After arresting the man who shot their friend Pacci, Gibbs and Tony had joined the others in helping with the saloon's stock.<p>

At the completion of the school day, Abby and the nun had come around. Ziva showed the woman to the room and they agreed on terms. Abby had come downstairs to join the others in rechristening the bar with the first round of drinks. Three hours later and even Gibbs had managed to consume a couple of shots of bourbon. he was genuinely smiling and joking with Dunham about something.

'As I was saying, I'd like to make a damned toast!' Tony shouted, when his first announcement failed to capture him a willing audience. The table fell silent and all eyes landed on Tony, as he liked it. 'To my two favourite women,' Tony paused to pat Abby's head, she brushed him away with a laugh before he met Ziva's eyes and gave her another one of those damned smiles.

'To Abby and Ziva, for promptly ensuring the return of the great Morrow's Saloon. I daresay if this town had to go dry any longer, we'd be facing a riot situation,' Tony asserted. 'So, cheers.'

There was a cry of agreement from the collective as drinks were downed and conversations resumed, Tony settled back into his chair next to Ziva. Before she got the chance to comment on his toast, the nun appeared at the base of the staircase.

'What's all this noise? Are you people aware that it is the Sabbath?' she enquired.

Tony tossed his head back in frustration. 'Ma'am, it's a damned bar. What do you think goes on here? Drinking, gambling and a whole lotta cussing is what. That can't change just cause there's a nun in attendance.'

'I'm not a nun, I am a religious sister. Nuns dedicate their life to prayer and contemplation in a monastery, I choose to serve God by teaching.'

'Yes, good for you, Sister Kate,' Ziva replied, her irritated tone lingered over the other woman's name. 'I do hope you don't plan on regularly coming down here to berate my customers. You don't pay enough rent to justify driving away my business.'

'I assure you, this is a strictly temporary arrangement,' Kate replied, she marched towards the table, took a shot straight out of McGee's hand and downed it in one swallow like a pro. The group stared as she wiped at the corner of her mouth, handing the glass back to McGee. 'I don't like your choice in whisky.'

* * *

><p>The mood died with Kate's departure. Dunham left first, mumbling something about tucking in his daughter. McGee and Abby excused themselves and left arm in arm, Gibbs following them to McGee's dismay. The older man grinned at him and turned in the other direction, allowing McGee to resume breathing.<p>

Tony was all too aware that for the first time in weeks, they were alone together. Only the knowledge that a nun (he didn't see the distinction, she was a damned nun in his eye) resided on the floor above them held him in check. Oh, but it was hard, he'd been drawn to her all day. First by the sight of her in those pants, how they hugged her legs and reminded him of her incredible figure. Then when he got close, he was assaulted by her scent, dusty and sweaty and Ziva mixed into one.

He'd badly wanted to just drag her into a room somewhere and take her. He'd felt himself drawing closer, powerless to resist her allure, the way she brushed up against him. The slightest of touches hit him like the scent of alcohol to an alcoholic.

Tony returned to the present to find Ziva had escaped him, she was behind the bar rinsing out empty glasses. He stood and began to collect the empties, walking out the back to dump them straight into the trash. Back by the bar, Ziva had given up on their dishes, instead she sat at the table with a cup of tea, she had a second cup ready for him.

Tony settled down in the chair next to hers as she poured his tea. Glancing at him, she reached for the sugar, dumping a fair amount in there. 'One more, and that'll do it,' Tony suggested, Ziva gave an exasperated sigh.

'That is a ridiculous amount of sugar.'

'I hate tea, I need it.'

Ziva pushed the cup towards him and sat back with her own, sipping at the hot brown liquid. Tony watched her and noted how the tension in her body seemed to visibly drain as she absorbed herself in the tea. He realised he was staring at her like a damn fool, and turned to his own cup. Tony took one sip and winced, definitely too much sugar, he put the cup back on the table.

'So a nun in residence,' Tony remarked, Ziva's mouth curved into a half smile.

'Yes, it is strange, isn't it?'

'Absolutely,' Tony agreed, he reached over and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, leaning closer. 'Gonna have to be a good girl now, with the Lord's eyes on you,' he joked, his hand trailed over her hair and brushed against her neck. Ziva seemed to twitch at the contact, the way she sat he couldn't quiet see her face, couldn't gauge her reaction. Tony hesitated, he didn't want to be the ass going after a woman who wasn't interested.

Ziva killed his hesitation though, she put her tea down on the table firmly, stood up, turned on him. The next thing Tony knew Ziva was straddling him on the chair. Her lips on his neck, her tongue caressed his Adam's apple. His hands settled on her waist, Tony didn't really move, it wasn't that he enjoyed Ziva taking charge of him (he kinda did), or that he wasn't interested in doing unspeakable things to her (he had a dozen fantasies stockpiled in his brain for this moment, and another fifty for the bar), no, he was just overwhelmed by the woman in his arms.

Ziva moved away from his neck and met his eyes, smirking at him. 'I'm Jewish Tony, what do I care about a nun?'

* * *

><p><strong>So two chapters in a week, apparently my western muse is in a good place right now. I'll say this, I'm not liking Kate in this, I think I'll have to get rid of her.<strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**I am in fact, sorry this has taken so long. There was going to be another little story arc in before this part, but I fell into a massive plot hole and couldn't dig my way out. In the end I terminated the whole thing and returned to this part instead.**

* * *

><p>Ziva David killed her first man at the tender age of eighteen. He was not the last. She had found herself matched up against men who had every advantage against her and stared death down, surviving against impressive odds. Ziva was a veteran before she even reached the age of twenty five, these days very little phased her.<p>

Ziva sat in her office in the back of the saloon, positively gripped by fear. She was stuck in the throes of mind numbing, all consuming dread.

A knock on the door of the office startled Ziva out of her reverie. 'Come in,' she called, trying to relax her stance. The door swung open revealing Glenside's bespectacled medical practitioner.

'Do you have a few minutes, dear?' Ducky asked, Ziva gave a nod and ducky closed the door behind him. 'I must say I'm impressed with the state of the saloon, your builders were good. I think I may have seen some of their work in the city, a chap I knew in Atlanta had an extra floor built onto his house, the balustrade is near identical.'

'Certainly cost me enough.' Ziva joked weakly, Ducky frowned and removed his hat.

'How are you, Ziva?'

'I'm fine, really.' She replied, 'I have a bit of stomach bug, nothing too serious.'

'Mr Dunham informed me that this stomach bug has been around all week.' Ducky replied gravely. 'Why did you not come to see me?'

'I'm quite certain I already know what ails me Doctor, so your services weren't necessary.' Ziva replied.

'Oh, really?'

'Yes.' Ziva paused and took in a deep breath, believing something in one's mind and putting a voice to that convection were two very different things. 'I believe I am pregnant.'

'Ah,' Ducky dropped his hat on the desk and moved to her side of the desk, feeling her forehead for a temperature, before he pulled out a stethoscope from his pocket. 'If you don't mind?' he asked, Ziva shook her head, Ducky continued his brief examination.

'I'm two weeks late,' Ziva admitted.

'Well you show no signs of fever or any ordinary illness. I have often found it is wise to trust the woman's judgement in these particular matters,' Ducky advised her in his gentle manner, tucking away the stethoscope. 'Have you spoken to Anthony yet?'

'I suppose there's no use denying it's his.' Ziva sighed as she sat back in her chair. 'No, I haven't told Tony. I don't think he likes children, he told me he never visits Abby at her school if he can help it.'

'Children in the general context are very different to one's own offspring, my dear,' Ducky replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. 'I'd wager my house that Anthony will come through.'

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><p>Ziva left Dunham with the run of the bar for the better part of the day, only emerging from the office when the evening started and business picked up properly. She lost herself in the routine of pouring shots and threatening money out of customers. This was why she loved being the only bar in town, she could use her methods and didn't have to worry about customers going elsewhere, they had no damn choice but to play by her rules.<p>

'So sweet cheeks, how about a bourbon on the house?' Ziva turned from the cash register and scowled at Tony.

'No.'

'Okay, that's fine.' Tony pulled out a couple of bills and put them on the bar, waiting for his drink. He waited in vain.

'I want to talk with you,' Ziva told him, her voice tense from the work she was doing suppressing her fear. Tony mistook her tone for anger or irritation or something and pouted, taking his money back.

'What did I do now?' he whined.

'Oh, you have no idea,' Ziva muttered under her breath as she walked the length of the bar, heading towards the back of the building and her office, Tony didn't need to be told to follow.

Ziva closed her office door behind him, locking for good measure. She walked around her desk and slumped into her chair, wondering if the pregnancy was causing her exhaustion, or if it was the fact that she'd hardly kept anything down all week.

Tony walked around the desk as well, sitting on the edge in front of her, he placed his hands on his thighs and gazed down at her form, taking in the pale set of her cheeks. 'What's the matter?' he asked in a soft voice, reaching for one of her hands. His enveloped hers, Ziva would never admit it, but the feeling of these warm, slightly roughened hands on her body always made her feel that little bit more secure. It was no exception that night.

'Tony,' Ziva bit out, her grip on his hand tightened as she fought to get the actual words out.

'Spit it out already Ziva, I'm getting worried here,' Tony pushed, Ziva sighed and closed her eyes.

'I'm pregnant,' Ziva whispered, sure that he couldn't have heard her over the background noise from the bar. But she knew that he had because his thumb stopped caressing the palm of her hand, in fact, it dropped her hand altogether.

'Pregnant?' Tony repeated, Ziva opened her eyes and wished she hadn't, Tony's face was a realisation of all her fears, he was scared shitless. 'Are you sure?'

'Yes,' Ziva replied, taking her hand back. As Tony sat there in stunned silence, she reflected bitterly on a piece of advice her mother had given her shortly before her death. That the ones who she loved the most had the greatest capacity to cause her pain. Ziva knew this to be true, Tony hadn't even started running but her heart was already breaking, she clenched her hands into fists. He would not see her cry, she would not beg.

'Just go already,' she ordered him. 'I don't want to hear your excuses.'

'Ziva-' he started and she levelled a glare at him that could have peeled fresh paint. Tony sighed and stood up, walking around the desk. 'I'll see you tomorrow.' He told her, walking out of the office like she knew he would.

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><p>The next day's business ran like clockwork. Ziva spent the morning alternately doing paperwork and puking into a pail, whilst Dunham tended bar. She helped a little during the lunch rush, before retreating to the office to try and get some food down. Ducky had warned her the day before that she had to eat more, even if it kept coming back up. Eventually the baby would find a food it liked.<p>

Ziva spent the day in a state of constant expectation as she waited for Tony to show up, but there was no sign. When she spared a glance for the sheriff's station, she didn't see him. It irked her, because Tony seemed to spend most of his quiet days out on the porch watching her saloon.

Ziva knew if she continued to indulge in thoughts of Tony she'd end up crying, the pregnancy had her crying into her pillow most nights already, she was at loathe to start during the day. Ziva turned to Dunham and told him to take a break until the evening rush, allowing her to stay occupied manning the bar alone.

Tim and Abby appeared an hour after sunset, taking a table up the back. Ziva checked that Dunham was managing, and left the bar to greet them. 'I don't want to intrude on your time, but I was wondering if you know where Tony is tonight?' Ziva asked McGee.

'They're out tracking a horse thief, left me to close up,' McGee replied. 'Gibbs told me he expected to be back tomorrow afternoon.'

Ziva felt relief flood through her, Tony hadn't skipped town yet. She returned back to the bar and continued working, she even managed to smile once or twice.

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><p>Ziva woke with a start, her eyes fluttering open as her brain tried to determine why she was awake. The barest hint of light through her window suggested it was only dawn, Ziva rarely work this early after a late night at the bar. No, she'd heard something. Ziva turned towards the door and saw him standing there against the closed door. Tony was dirty and dishevelled, but his presence made her smile.<p>

'I shouldn't have walked out,' Tony started, remaining by the door as Ziva sat up in the bed.

'To be fair, I did tell you to,' Ziva replied, feeling magnanimous now that he was back.

'Next time, I'm gonna ignore you,' Tony warned her, he raised a hand to run through his hair, dislodging an impressive quantity of road dust. Suddenly Tony stepped forward and knelt by the bed, beckoning her closer. He pulled her in for a kiss, breaking it off too soon. 'Don't want to get your bed dirty,' he explained.

'I'm not sure I'd care,' Ziva replied, kissing him again, Tony smiled against her lips.

'You will, so I'm not taking the risk. I hear pregnant women can get irrational and you scare me enough as it is.'

'Annoying me is dangerous for your health,' Ziva warned, Tony kissed her again before he stood up and leant back against the door.

'We should talk about what we're going to do,' said Tony, he folded his arms across his chest. 'I won't lie and say that fatherhood is something I've desired in the past. But I suppose this was inevitable, maybe I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.'

His words stung, even though Ziva knew he was trying to be diplomatic. It wasn't like she hadn't known this about him before. He noticed her hurt though, as much as she wanted to hide it from him, he knelt next to the bed again and kissed her.

'I've got a plan for us though,' Tony whispered. He explained his plan in full, before rocking back on his heels, giving her some space to think it over. Unconsciously, her hand drifted towards her belly, she knew what she had to do.

'Okay,' Ziva whispered, Tony smiled and kissed her again.

'I'm going to go now. Wash this crap off me. How long do you need to prepare?'

'Just a couple of hours. Abby has been asking me if she can tend bar a little, so I don't think she would mind helping Dunham out.'

'I'll meet you behind my office in three hours then.' Tony stood, 'It's going to work out, Ziva.'

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><p>Ziva stood by the sheriff's stables with her horse. She rested her head against the mare's withers and heaved a great sigh. There was a note on the bar waiting for Dunham, asking him to cover for her as she would be absent for a week on personal business. Ziva had advised him to ask Abby for assistance in the evenings if it was needed. Ziva realised she would have to hire a bar back to help out Dunham, since the pregnancy would eventually come in the way of her helping him. Of course, Tony would most likely insist she rest from work well before that stage.<p>

'You okay there?' Tony asked as he exited the stables, a fresh horse saddled and ready.

'I'm just thinking about everything that will change now,' Ziva replied. 'I'm going to have to hire some assistance for Dunham. Abby obviously has her own job to worry about.'

'So you'll hire someone else, and spend the next nine months sitting in your office doing paperwork. Far, far away from the drunk dead beats,' Tony replied in a determined tone as they mounted up. Ziva fixed him with a glare.

'Do not start that with me. Not today, lest I change my mind,' Ziva warned him.

'Shutting up then, but it's gonna be a long journey. You'll come round,' Tony countered with a grin. Ziva rolled her eyes, exasperated. They rode around the office and began their journey out of town. Ziva felt like she was being watched. Sure enough when she turned around, there was Gibbs, he gave her a nod and retreated into his office.

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><p><strong>So no prizes for guessing what Tony's plan is. I have every intention of getting the next chapter out faster than this one. But I obviously shouldn't make guarantees. Hope you enjoyed it, let me know if you're still with me on this.<strong>


	21. Chapter 21

'Mrs Haversham's Boarding House holds to the highest standards of propriety. Unmarried men reside on the first floor, married couples on the second, and unmarried women on the third. I tolerate no pre-marital fraternisation. I maintain the right to dismiss you if I believe that my rules have been broken.' The speaker, a tiny little woman with the approximate weight and dimensions of a broomstick glared at Tony. Tony was trying his damndest, but a tiny little smile still crept its way onto his face. He couldn't help wondering what this woman would say if he told her it was a bit too late to worry about all that.

Ziva glanced over and rolled her eyes, she could rather accurately envisage where Tony's thoughts had gone. 'That will be fine, Mrs Haversham. Two rooms it is.'

Mrs Haversham handed them each a key, reminding them once again that Mr DiNozzo would not be permitted on the third floor, but Mrs Haversham would run a message up to Miss David's room if necessary. The pair came to a stop at the base of the stairs. Tony was still grinning after their grilling from the landlady, he'd absolutely refused to find the woman intimidating. Ziva wished she could share in Tony's amusement, but everything about their situation seemed to have robbed her of her good humour.

'I'll ask around for a good place to eat tonight. Meet you back down here in half an hour?' Tony asked, Ziva gave a nod of assent, she glanced back down the hallway to check for Mrs Haversham before she leant towards him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

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><p>The restaurant suggested by another of Mrs Haversham's guests was extremely busy, but fortune favoured them that evening and a table was available for them. As they sat down and looked at the menus, Tony realised how very novel this whole experience was. His relationship with Ziva was extremely unorthodox, and even that was an understatement.<p>

After their extremely memorable first meeting, there had been something approaching normal courtship. But proper dating was always going to be difficult, they had no family to chaperone (or none he'd want as a chaperone), and as Ziva was the owner of the sole saloon in town, they had nowhere to go that was public.

Really, he was surprised they hadn't found themselves in this situation earlier. However he was glad that it did take so long. If things had gone well for them from the start and he'd managed to get her pregnant at an earlier time, Tony had severe doubts about what his choice would have been. He didn't really hold many delusions about his own character, Tony knew exactly who he was.

'Do you not like this place? Is it too loud?' Ziva asked, Tony shot her a look. 'You didn't look very happy there.'

'I was thinking deep thoughts,' Tony replied with a shrug.

'Don't strain yourself.' Ziva smirked. Tony feigned a look of mock hurt, but Ziva wasn't fooled.

'I was just thinking, this might actually be our first date,' Tony eventually explained after they'd put their orders in with the waitress. Ziva cocked an eyebrow.

'It has to be the second at least,' Ziva argued, after giving the matter some thought. 'The Halloween dance after I moved to Glenside. That would qualify as a date, yes?'

'It was dancing.' Tony gave a shrug. 'I was drunk, probably lousy company.'

'I always like spending time with you Tony. Even when you're drunk.'

'Wow, must be love ladies and gentlemen,' Tony declared. It was meant to be a joke, but Ziva wasn't laughing.

'It is,' Ziva murmured, fighting to hide her nerves. Tony's eyes widened slightly and he suddenly felt like the air had escaped his lungs.

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><p>As they left the restaurant, Ziva hooked her arm through Tony's, giving the impression of a normal couple. Tony gave her an odd look, she returned it with a glare.<p>

'Handholding? Seriously?'

'Such is the conduct of reputable couples Tony,' Ziva replied primly, Tony chuckled.

'Oh, I much prefer being a disreputable couple. So much more... satisfying,' Tony murmured into her ear, taking the opportunity to press a quick kiss to her neck. Ziva responded by jabbing an elbow into his side. 'Argh! Damn it that was uncalled for.'

'Try to remember that we are still in a public place,' Ziva hissed, she turned to face Tony, forcing him to come to an abrupt halt. 'So I would suggest you keep to yourself, until such time you are able to...' Ziva paused to run a hand over Tony's chest, at his waistband her hand paused to tuck his shirt back in, Tony made a strangled noise and Ziva gave a wicked smirk. 'Follow through.'

Ziva twirled around and marched away, leaving Tony to follow in her wake.

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><p>They didn't immediately return to the boarding house after the meal. Tony especially didn't want to be tempted by the presence of beds in the same building. They asked around, enquiring as to what entertainment was on offer in the city during the week. It was Ziva who finally heard word of a show from a man who acted for too friendly for Tony's liking.<p>

Nevertheless, he led his fiancée down a series of streets that rapidly deteriorated in quality and lighting. He stopped occasionally to ask directions. As they rounded a corner to find a small crowd forming outside a theatre building, Tony began to gain an understanding of the nature of the show Ziva's would-be suitor had suggested. He grinned, and decided that he would let Ziva be surprised.

'Are you familiar with a composer called Wagner?' Tony asked.

Tony found them seats somewhere in the middle of the theatre and he began to rethink his brilliant idea. If Ziva hadn't already determined the exact nature of the show they were about to see, the exclusively male audience was certainly a big giveaway.

The burlesque show opened to the unmistakeable, though badly reproduced tune of Wagner's bridal chorus from the opera Lohengrin. A line of scantily clad women marched onto the stage to a raucous reception of cheering and catcalls, Tony winced and pulled at his collar. Next to him Ziva sat back in her chair with her arms folded across her chest, watching the spectacle with an avid focus that unnerved Tony.

'We should go. This was just meant to be funny. Let's go, come on,' Tony babbled, Ziva cocked her head in his direction.

'The blonde in the middle isn't bad. But the rest aren't much to look at, are they?' Ziva commented in a normal voice, that he could only just hear above the din being made by the other patrons. Tony felt his jaw fall open for the second time that night, Ziva chuckled at his expression.

She shifted in her chair and leant against his side, one of her hands played with his hair as she spoke softly into his ear. 'Are you imagining me in that? How do I compare to those girls, hmm?' Ziva asked. She laughed at the expression on his face. 'I grew up with outlaws Tony, the scum of the earth. You'll have to try a great deal harder to put me out my element.'

As Ziva settled against him to watch the show, Tony knew without a doubt, that he was set to marry the most amazing woman in the world. His face split into an implacable grin.

When the show broke for intermission, the pair decided to leave early rather than stay for another dose of bad music and worse comedy. Tony wasn't exactly sure when he became a discerning sort of man, as a lad he'd spent a great deal more time than was healthy at the theatre in New York. Now he couldn't help finding the music annoying, the humour lacking in wit, and the girls failed to make up for the show's many other shortcomings.

The couple left the theatre, Tony began to look around for a cab. It would be overpriced to hire one for such a short journey, but it had been a long day of riding, and he had a pregnant fiancée to act as a perfectly acceptable excuse. Not that he was telling anyone about his fiancée's condition.

Tony froze at a sound that was so eerily familiar as to be scary. 'It couldn't possibly be...' he murmured to himself, turning towards the source of the noise. Ziva gave him a perplexed look as he fixated on a group of men outside the doors of the theatre, laughing and smoking. In the centre was the man himself, who noticed Tony almost at the same moment.

'Junior!' the loud cheery call came out as a greeting, but Tony still winced. Immediately he was transported back to his boyhood, when junior was the tricksome lad who couldn't keep out of trouble if his life depended on it.

'Of all the burlesque shows in the greater United States...' Tony murmured.

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><p><strong>Yes! I am back. I Still Taste Blood is Back. Anthony DiNozzo Senior is back... stay tuned to see if he manages to successfully steal Tony's fiancee. Dun, dun, dun...<strong>


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